DECEMBER 2012
www.thebuilderschoice.com.au
OUTSTANDING WORK OF ARCHITECTURE IN ICONIC VENUE
CAB Member Since November 2010
Enhancing your entrance BIRRUS MATTING SYSTEMS are leading designers and manufacturers of architectural entrance matting in Australia for more than 40 years. We produce a prestigious range of products combining attractive aluminium extrusions with a stunning selection of carpet and textured tread inserts to enhance and protect the entrance to your building. Birrus are proud to be part of the Australian Made campaign, every Birrus mat manufactured is custom made to our clients specification.
PERTH ARENA Working closely with the architect, Birrus Matting Systems were able to achieve the requirements of the Architect’s design brief utilising many years of experience needed to produce entrance mats of this design and complexity. Birrus Matting Systems has been able to create a product that is equal in every way to the very high standard of internal finishes employed in this iconic structure, including the main entrance mat that is one of the largest entrance mats ever manufactured in Australia.
BIRRUS MATTING SYSTEMS P: 03 9701 2544 F: 03 9701 2588 12 Overseas Drive NOBLE PARK, NORTH VIC 3174 E: sales@birrusmatting.com.au www.birrusmatting.com.au
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From the editor........................................................................................... 12 PROFILE John Damant ..........................................................................20 PROFILE Gary Mackintosh.................................................................. 22 PROFILE Jason Kunkler.......................................................................... 24 PROFILE Michael Lamattina & Vic Santella............................. 26 PROFILE Stewart Greensmith & Damien Fasher................ 28 AND THE WINNER IS ............................................................................... 18 COVER STORY THE PERTH ARENA – A REINVENTION OF THE CONCEPT......... 30 The grand opening of the long awaited Perth Arena has heralded the beginning of a new era for Perth.
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT PRAISE FOR APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING SCHEME.................... 51 Apprentices in the construction and hairdressing industries have been supported over many years to achieve their goals with the support of the West Australian Group Training Scheme
INDUSTRY NEWS & VIEWS WHEN IS A REDUCTION IN A SCOPE OF WORK A TERMINATION BY ANY OTHER NAME?........................................................................ 54
72 COMMERCIAL MORE GAMING ROOM AT THE CROWN......................................... 44 Crown Casino has upgraded its gaming facilities to establish a premier gaming venue that complements an already vibrant entertainment precinct.
Entire goldfields region to benefit from refurbished health campus..................................................... 58 Aboriginal heritage and best practice in hospital facilities play a vital role in shaping new upgrades to the Kalgoorlie Hospital.
INTEGRATING CULTURAL AWARENESS INTO TRADITIONAL FACILITIES............................................................................. 65 A newly established prison in the Kimberley’s represents a landmark facility in Western Australia’s correctional system with its design, construction and traditional values of Indigenous communities throughout the Kimberley.
WRAPPED IN COPPER LOOK CLADDING....................................... 72 Spanning across more than 10,000sqm of land is this landmark facility that now acts as the head office for mining construction company, Ertech.
on the cover
Candice Van Der Plas discusses how the reduction of a scope of work under a contract can generally be fertile ground for disputes.
The Perth Arena – A reinvention of the concept
WORKING TOGETHER TO REDUCE SUICIDE IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY............................................................... 56
Read our cover story on page 30.
The Mates in Construction agency is providing critical services to workers in the construction industry who can become overwhelmed with stress and family commitments.
Photography: Stephen Nicholls Photographer
4 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
FULFILLING CUSTOMER LIFESTYLE CERAMICS THAT INSPIRE Why suffer with yearly fading, warping and ongoing maintenance. Jatoba Wenge Exterior is the perfect solution for external antislip surface finishes when you want the look of timber without all the hassle. Perfect for Pool surrounds, Alfresco areas and Pathways in Residential or Commercial projects. You have to see it to believe it! Available now to view at our brand new showroom.
Jatoba Wenge Exterior 143x1200. Visit our showroom to view.
19b King Edward Rd Osborne Park WA 6017 Ph: (08) 9445 1777 Email: info@ceramo.com.au www.ceramo.com.au
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INDUSTRIAL FUNCTIONALITY WITHOUT SACRIFICING CONSTRUCTION EXCELLENCE.......................................................... 75
WA’S FIRST CORD BLOOD BANK FACILITY................................. 112
A contemporary helicopter hangar that looks more like an ultra modern office complex has been created at Jandakot Airport.
A new facility in Perth’s CBD has been created to capture cord blood donors in the state who have tissue types that aren’t already represented on national or international registries.
SEVEN STOREYS OF HOME BUILDING POWER............................ 78
RESIDENTIAL
The Homebuyers Centre now has a mammoth commercial tower to call its own amongst the hubbub of business operations in Osborne Park.
ELECTIVE SURGERY GETS REFRESHED AT FREMANTLE HOSPITAL................................................................................................. 86
EPIC PROPORTIONS TO THREE STOREY ARCHITECTURE......... 60 Another standout project by award winning builder Brian Burke Homes reveals the highest quality workmanship and a striking elevation.
URBAN LIVING WITH A TOUCH OF GLAMOUR............................. 68
The Cardiac Care Unit (CCU), the Endoscopy Unit and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) have all been refurbished and improved to a modern standard.
Reflecting the best in modern features are two standout homes that allow in ample natural light and comprehensive street views.
PEAK REAL ESTATE INSTITUTE TAKES NEW FROM OLD............ 94
INTEGRITY CAPTURES THE VIEW ON SEASIDE SUB DIVISIONS....................................................................................... 81
The Real Estate Institute of Western Australia has moved next door to premier new offices that will service all the needs of the agency for years to come.
BOOST FOR DRUG AND ALCOHOL REHABILITATION................ 98 Leading drug, alcohol rehabilitation and counselling service organisation Holyoake now has a new facility to assist more than 4,000 people a year with counselling and practical assistance programs.
MASTERS CHANGES THE FACE OF HOME IMPROVEMENT SECTOR.................................................................................................. 102 New home improvement chain has created yet another home improvement store with a refreshing, contemporary look that provides for more interaction with the customer.
COSMOPOLITAN EXPERIENCE FROM CHEESE CAFE............... 109 Stunning 180 degree views mix with the worlds best cheeses in a new venture for Olive Farm Winery in the Swan Valley. 6 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
Two street frontages and views have been achieved in these three low-maintenance properties.
RETIREMENT DREAM GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE LIVING IN KALBARRI................................................................................................ 90 Taking in breathtaking views of Kalbarri’s famous coastline is a family home that has left no stone unturned in its desire to adhere to a small carbon footprint.
BALINESE DESIGN FOR AUBIN GROVE HOME........................... 100 Asian influences have permeated into a stunning two storey home that will inspire its owners for years to come.
PERTH LIFESTYLE PROMOTES OUTDOOR LIVING................... 106 Adapting outdoor spaces into luxurious alfresco entertaining rooms that offer maximum flexibility is an opportunity to capitalise on Perth’s enviable Mediterranean lifestyle.
EnErGy EffIcIEncy wIthIn everyOne’S reAch • Over 1000 window combinations from 3 modern designer colours
Polar Eco-View Windows utilise a double-glazed Insulated Glass Unit (IGU) system that offers a simple, energy-efficient, and cost-effective solution to heating and cooling your home.
• Select from a range of modular sizes
Simply get online and with our easy to use website, build a comprehensive, no obligation quote for your home or next project. Our instant delivery ensures you’re just a click away from a more energy efficient home.
• Instant online quote • 3-5 day delivery turnaround • Double glazed insulated glass units • Grade ‘A’ toughened safety glass standard.
FOr FUrther InFOrMAtIOn On POLAr ecO-vIew wInDOwS PLeASe cALL 1300 362 393 Or vISIt OUr weBSIte www.POLArwInDOwS.cOM.AU
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 7
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114 126 ATTENTION TO DETAIL SHINES IN STUNNING FAMILY HOME.................................................................................... 114
CATHEDRAL CEILINGS FRAME A PIECE OF AMERICAN HISTORY........................................................................................ 128
A three storey home in Applecross has been designed to grow with the family.
Stately recycled double Oregon timber doors that were originally part of a bar in the US have been painstakingly restored to take their pride of place in this outstanding home.
CAPTURING TIMELESS STYLE CLOSE TO THE RIVER............... 117 Two new Federation-style homes in Shelley and Melville capture a classic style while incorporating must-have modern features.
CANAL LIFESTYLE TRANSFORMS NORTHWEST FISHING TOWN............................................................................................. 120 A unique Broome-style home takes full advantage of its enviable canal position in the sunny town of Carnarvon.
PASSIVE HOME DESIGN AND SUSTAINABLE LIVING.............. 123 Building a completely sustainable home is not out of reach for anyone willing to take the plunge and this home in Geraldton certainly proves the point.
DUNSBOROUGH’S FLAIR ON NARROW LOT.............................. 126 A three bedroom, two storey home has taken inspiration from the local beach lifestyle to create a home that uses every square metre of its narrow lot.
ALL NIGHT CAMPERS BUY BIG AT PRESTIGIOUS BEAUMARIS BEACH.................................................................................................... 130 The opulent beach lifestyle of Beaumaris Beach went on offer recently with the release of 38 home sites at Beaumaris Beach Estate.
MIXED USE APARTMENT TRI-FECTA HITS THE NORTH WEST........................ 88 Living a glamorous lifestyle in the north of Western Australia has been a tricky feat to achieve in the past but that has all changed with three apartment complexes sprouting to fill the enormous demand for accommodation.
ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION CHAIN OF CUSTODY CERTIFICATION.......................................... 132 The Timber & Building Materials Association (TABMA) offers an explanation of the chain of Custody Certification services available to members and non-members.
Smartwall panels – a new approach to building ECOSTRUCT HOMES aim is to establish and grow a business model that designs and manufacturers residential and small commercial structures using James Hardies leading edge materials and technologies that result in significant benefits for the owners and occupiers of the buildings, and are more sympathetic to the environment, than the more traditional methods. Ecostruct Homes was formerly known as QBS smartwall, and has supplied the system for the construction of over 50 homes in the past few years within Western Australia, but now with more modern products and technological advancement, ECOSTRUCT Homes is replacing QBS. Thermal panel construction has been around for over 50 years and traditionally the European and North American systems have been
8 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
focused on keeping the cold and wet weather out of the homes. However with the warm climate we have in Australia the James Hardie system works just as good to keep the hot weather out in summer and the cold weather out in winter. ECOSTRUCT HOMES thermal panel construction is quicker, it is totally BCA approved, it is cyclone rated, energy efficient and cost effective to build and maintain. Our new website is under construction, but feel free to call the office on 9493 1110 or David 0407 990 617 (Please refer to full page advert on page 11) ADVERTORIAL SUPPLIED BY CLIENT
A cyclonically rated, architecturally attractive and revolutionary complete walling system that will enhance the way you build. • In cyclone areas, Designstone provides attractive masonry finish, an alternative to steel cement sheeting products. • Designstone is not just a walling system, it’s a versatile package that can provide a preliminary concept to engineered construction drawings and site support. • Using the Designstone walling system substantially reduces construction time.
resi d e n t i al com m e rci al indu st ri al Email: designstone@bigpond.com
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BUILDING THE NORTHWEST AND BEYOND FOR OVER 20 YEARS D.A Burke Builders is a commercial and residential building company with projects from industrial workshops, multi-dwelling unit developments to single dwellings for your family. We have full design and construction capabilities in-house, taking your concept right through to your completed project.
DA Burke Builders look forward to working on your projects anywhere in Western Australia. We are currently in:
• • • •
Perth Port Hedland Kalgoorlie Onslow
D.A. BURKE Builders I T: (08) 9582 9977 F: (08) 9582 9899 PO Box 1255 Mandurah WA 6210
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is produced quarterly by
Business Promotions Australia PO Box 1307, Wangara DC WA 6947 Ph: (08) 9409 5143 Fax: (08) 9409 3372 Email: admin@bpaust.com.au
Publisher Gary Boulos
AUSTRALIAN HARDWOOD FLOORING THE NATURAL FLOORING SOLUTION............................................................................................. 134 Choosing timber products for new homes and renovations is a very popular option and with a few simple tips its easy to maintain the natural lustre of timber for many years.
EASIER STEEL FRAMING, FROM DESIGN TO CONSTRUCTION.................................................................. 138 The National Association of Steel-framed Housing (NASH) is developing standardised generic span tables and building details.
WINDOW TINTING WINDOW FILM IN THE FIGHT AGAINST SOLAR HEAT GAIN.. .............................................................................. 141 Maintaining a comfortable temperature inside the home can be difficult given Australia’s warm climate but the solution could be as simple as a piece of window film.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY CHALLENGING MISCONCEPTIONS IN DOUBLE GLAZING....... 146
Managing Editor / Production Manager Merelyn Demarte Admin/Artwork Co-ordinator Gina York Graphic Designer Pearlin Bracewell Journalist Rhonda Malkin Contributing Journalists Keith Mexsom, Lisa Shearon, Rocky Amatulli Sales Executives Rod Saggers, Karl Nasner, Mike Thake Accounts Julie Jones Printer Quality Press Distributor Northside Logistics
The Australian Window Association dispels the misconceptions on whether to use double glazing particularly in Australia’s climate.
YOUR 6 STAR GUIDE TO OPERATING AN ENERGY EFFICIENT HOME........................................................................................ 148 There are a few simple tips available in a new guide from the Sustainable Energy Association of Australia to building an energy efficient home and a wealth of tips for homeowners on ways to operate a home in order to save both energy and money.
WATER EFFICIENCY DESIGN FOR WATER SENSITIVE LIVING....................................... 144 Simple techniques for creating a water efficient garden that also helps sustain some of Perth’s river system.
BUILDING PRODUCTS & SERVICES.............................................151 TRADIES CORNER.....................................................................................165 DIRECTORY LISTINGS............................................................................ 166 10 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
CAB Member Since November 2010
COPYRIGHT: Copyright to all original material in this publication is owned by the publisher, Business Promotions Australia, and cannot be reproduced in any form, whole or part, without prior express written permission of the publisher. DISCLAIMER: While every effort is made by the publisher to ensure the accuracy of the content of this publication, responsibility will not be accepted for any errors or omissions. The publisher believes all information supplied and featured in this magazine to be correct at the time of printing. Placement of orders for advertisements by advertisers or their agents will be deemed as being an indemnification of the publisher against all liability, claims or proceedings arising from the publication of material supplied by them. All advertising shall comply with relevant State and Federal Laws and the advertising codes of the Media Council of Australia. The publishers and staff of The Builders Choice Magazine do not necessarily agree with opinions expressed throughout the publication.
Please note: The Editor reserves the right to alter and/or trim any submitted text (including advertisements and editorials) to ensure conformity with the publication’s style guide and space allocation.
Smart approach to affordable living
Combining modern technology with resiliant, lightweight, readily available materials to develop an incomparable building system, which maintains quality, cost effectiveness and simplicity.
Ecostruct Homes was formerly known as QBS smartwall, and has supplied the system for the construction of over 50 homes in the past few years within Western Australia, but now with more modern products and technological advancement, ECOSTRUCT Homes is replacing QBS.
phone (08) 9493 1110 fax (08) 9362 4064 email david@ecostructhomes.com factory 61 Austin Ave Kenwick WA 6107 www.ecostructhomes.com
from the editor Our biggest ever cover story is showcasing the impressive and new state-of-the-art Perth Arena. The grandiose design of this building adds a whole new characteristic to buildings in Perth. The Perth Arena came alive Saturday November 10 when international recording artist Elton John took to the stage for the Arena’s first ever major music event. There is no doubt that the Perth Arena will be the best in Australia. The interior of the Perth Arena will impress even the single-minded critics that have unashamedly commented adversely to this project and its design. The city of Perth has evolved, and projects like this one are just the start. A not to miss feature, turn to page 30. SUICIDE, MENTAL ILLNESS, DEPRESSION – These are words we all know and hear about throughout our lives, but not always something we care to think about or let alone discuss. Suicide and mental illness for most parts has been a taboo topic of conversation for many people in society. Yet I’m certain that some of us have known or heard about a family member, friend or even a colleague taking his or her own life, leaving behind a devastating loss, unanswered questions, anger and even guilt. The stigma that’s related with these three words must be reduced and one industry body doing just this is Mates In Construction (MIC). This is a must read article on page 56. Another stand-out feature in this issue is the gaming extension at Crown Casino (formerly Burswood Casino). Well established building company Probuild have once again shown their diversity and experience in what is a project with several large challenges. High quality finishes and sophisticated internal fitout showcase in these works. View this great feature on page 44.
their continuous contribution with articles in The Builders Choice Magazine; • Director and Professor Ray Wills – Duda & Wills and former Sustainable Energy Association of Australia CEO • We welcome the newly appointed Sustainable Energy Association of Australia CEO, Kirsten Rose • Department of Water media and communications officer, Peter Collins • The National Association of Steel-Framed Housing executive director, Ken Watson • The Australia Steel Institute communications manager, Alan Marshall • Landcorp marketing manager/Regional North, Andrew Kikiros • Bowen Buchbinder Vilensky senior associate/ Commercial, Candice Van Der Plas Please feel free to email me should you have a project you’re interested in featuring for our March 2013 issue. (Email: editor@bpaust.com.au) BPA will close for 2012 on Tuesday December 18 and re-open for business on Monday January 14, 2013. On behalf of the team at BPA and The Builders Choice Magazine, we wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Until 2013!
I take this opportunity to once again thank everyone who has participated with projects, and advertising every issue. I would also like to personally thank the following people for
Australia’s Bike Parking Experts. New Product Brochure & Website Available Now. Made in WA
P: 1800 249 878 F: 1800 249 879 E: sales@cora.com.au indoor I outdoor I commercial I residential 12 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
www.cora.com.au
ARCHITECTURAL MOULDINGS
SUPABOARD™ CLADDING & FLOORING SYSTEM
BRIAN BURKE HOMES – 2012 NATIONAL MBA EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNER
INTERNAL LINING EXTERNAL FASCIA BOARD FLOORING SYSTEMS
Our manufacturing process allows us to design to your specifications The lightweight material enables us to design and create larger profiles.
SUPABOARD™ CLADDING SYSTEM is designed as an internal and external fascia cladding of any type of building. Applications include single family home, modular transportable/kit homes, sheds, apartment complexes, commercial high-rise buildings etc.
PROFILES
Supaboard is ideal for use in new constructions, renovations, fascias, eave-linings and decorative facades.
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Architectural Moulding Substraights Awnings Hotwire Cutting Polyerthane Hardcoating
Our architectural mouldings are the perfect addition to your next project. To find out how BuilditEco can assist in design and manufacture, contact us now!
Why SUPABOARD™ CLADDING & FLOORING SYSTEM? • • • • • • • • • • •
Extremely strong and durable Lightweight, quick and easy to install Suitable for steel and timber frame construction Non toxic and environmentally friendly Water resistant Suitable for wet areas Suitable for internal and external application Construction flexibility – can be cut, trimmed or shaped using ordinary power or hand tools. Termite resistant Available sizes from 4mm up to 32mm with sizes: 1200/900 (width) and 2400/2700 (length) Fire resistant / Non combustible
Why not seek an alternative to traditional building methods? Contact BuilditEco to find out more about the SUPABOARD™ System.
www.supaboard.com.au
THERMAWALLPLUS ®
WA ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR CONCRETE WITH THE BLADE PILE AUSTRALIA BRACING PILE
The Blade Pile WA bracing pile is designed to engage a large area of soil to provide resitance to soil reaction, offering an increased lateral load capacity.
AN EXTERNAL CLADDING SYSTEM FOR BUILDING...WHY NOT? THERMAWALLPLUS® has revolutionised the building industry by allowing a huge step away from the traditional wall of double brick. This new generation composite light weight panel technology also means a fast and efficient job whilst still achieving the utmost quality appearance required. ThermaWallPlus® opens up new design opportunities for owners, architects and builders looking for that ‘environmentally friendly’ alternative. IMPORTANT FEATURES OF THERMAWALL PLUS • Excellent thermal insulation leading to ease of meeting 6 Star and above requirements. • Region A through D cyclone approved enabling usage in high risk regions. AS4040.3 cyclonic wind load resistance for residential construction up to C4. • Inclusion of termite resistant expanded polystyrene. (Perform Guard EPS) • Use of fire retarded expanded polystyrene which reduces the chance of accidental ignition. • Energy efficiency leading to saving up to 50 times its production energy over the life of the building. For more information on ThermaWallPlus®, please contact the exclusive WA distributor – BuilditEco Pty Ltd.
Manufactured from superior commercial grade high tensile steel. Available safe working loads range from 80kN (8tonne)
Blade Pile WA can provide you wih an affordable, quick and easy product to support your lateral load requirements. Installation is quick and clean with no soil removal or concrete required. Blade piles can be supplied on a lineal metere rate, that is significantly more cost effective than concrete bored piers! Reduce the time spent onsite and start building immediately after the bracing piles have been installed. Accessories are available for this product to suit multiple applications. These include connections for poles, columns and bearers.
Twin blades cut through the ground and provide superior load bearing capacity
For more information or to request a meeting with a local representative, contact us today!
BLADE PILE WA
1300 088 165
info@builditeco.com.au www.builditeco.com.au
P (08) 6460 1800 M: 0424 709 779 E preetie@bladepilewa.com.au
www.bladepilewa.com.au
SERVICING THE WA BUILDING INDUSTRY STATEWIDE
FORM DOCTORS PTY LTD COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL AND CIVIL LOGISTICS
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20 years of extensive formwork experience Australia-wide On site advice and project liaison
Ph Ivan 0424 413 149 Fax 08 9407 4514 Email form.doctors@bigpond.com
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Like us for the latest news Photography by Lionseye Photographic Design
...and the winner is The Builders Choice Magazine would like to congratulate:
Brian Burke Homes for winning the 2012 Master Builders Bankwest Housing Excellence Awards, Top WA Home award for their home on Neville Rd in Dalkeith and for winning the contract home over $2 million for their home in City Beach. Brian Burke Homes: (08) 9387 7333, www.brianburkehomes.com.au
Photo by Pixel Magix
Blue Stone Pools for winning the gold award in the Gava Global Aquatekture Visionary Awards 2012 in the category of Infinity Edge at a home in Watermans Bay that is featured on page 60 in this issue of The Builders Choice Magazine. Bluestone Pools: (08) 9249 6647, www.bluestonepools.com.au
Arcologic for winning the 2012 Master Builders Bankwest Building Excellence Awards Geraldton Midwest, Excellence in Energy Efficiency and Judge Award for Innovation for their home in Port Denison. Arcologic: 0418 844 662, www.arcologic.com.au
Probuild for winning the 2012 Master Builders Association of Victoria Excellence in Construction Awards, Construction of Commercial Buildings award in the $10 to $15 million category for their Tiffany & Co project in Melbourne. Probuild: (08) 9363 1400, www.probuild.com.au
18 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
National Lifestyle Villages Group for winning to UDIA 2012 Awards for Excellence, Judges award for its Warambie Estate and for winning the Seniors Living award for its Hillview Lifestyle Village. National Lifestyle Villages Group: 1300 306 256, www.nlv.com.au
Photo by Pixel Magix
Dane Design Australia for winning the Building Designers Australia WA Design Awards 2012, Design Excellence Award for their round house, New Residential Buildings up to 250sqm for their wrap house, New Residential Buildings 251sqm to 350sqm, New Residential Buildings for their wall and wall house, New Residential Buildings 351sqm to 450sqm for their Berm house, New Residential Buildings over 450sqm for their round house and Residential Interiors in collaboration with Lynne Sheen for their Berm house. Dane Design Australia: (08) 9755 3861, www.danedesignaustralia.com.au
PACT Construction for winning the 2012 Master Builders Bankwest Excellence in Construction Awards, Best Refurbishment or Renovation under $10 million for The Rotary WA Cord Blood Bank project that is featured on page 112 of this issue of The Builders Choice Magazine and for Best Office Building for the Homebuyers Centre which is also featured in this issue on page 78. PACT Construction: (08) 9242 5131, www.pactconstruction.com.au
Robinson Build-Tech (RBT) for winning the 2012 Master Builders Association of Victoria Excellence in Construction Awards, Judges award for its Construction of Lookout. Robinson Build-Tech: (08) 9223 6100, www.robinsonbuildtech.com.au
T.R Mackinnon & Co for winning the 2012 HIA South West Award for its Framed Home Between $350,000 to $650,000 at Butterworth Springs Ave home in Dunsborough that is features in this issue of The Builders Choice Magazine on page 126. T.R Mackinnon & Co: (08) 9755 3422, www.mackbuild.com.au
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 19
PROFILE
up close + personal with
john damant
DESIGNER, ARCOLOGIC DESIGN
// interviewed by rhonda malkin
How long have you been operating your business in Australia? I migrated to Australia with my family in May 2000 and pretty well started practising on my own straight away having run my own architectural firm in South-Africa for 10 years. There was a bit of a learning curve in adapting to the local way of doing things and I did work in both the commercial and residential fields. About three years ago I came to realise there were limited pathways for the general public to own a sustainable home that would be both distinctive and cost-effective without reverting to custom design, which can be expensive. This was after I had tasted success with two design competitions for sustainable housing – Landcorp’s REAL Challenge for Regional Environmental Affordable Living (finalist) and Cedarwood Properties and the City of Wanneroo’s ‘Ecovision’ competition for two sustainable homes in Tapping (winner). These homes have just been awarded the 2012 HIA Greensmart National award in the townhouse/villa category. To address what I thought was a gap in the market, and also my passion, I rebranded my practice as Arcologic eco-logical homes specialising in sustainable residential design, specifically to look at ways in which more people could get access to well designed, cost effective, sustainable homes. The name is derived from the word arcology, which is a combination of the words architecture and ecology. What are your experiences in the building industry in particular in relation to sustainability and environmentally friendly practices? When I first arrived in Australia in 2000 these subjects were not high on the radar of most building professionals or designers. When I became one of the early energy assessors using Firstrate software, many in the industry could not see the need or desirability of such 20 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
measures, or were simply unaware of them. Now that the six star legislation has been introduced everyone is very much aware of the issue although not all are embracing it willingly. There is still a perception amongst many builders that building sustainably is always more expensive and requires such measures as double glazing or installing photovoltaic panels. In our designs we are proving that we can achieve eight and nine star energy rated homes purely through intelligent design and getting the orientation right. Unfortunately there is also now the perception that all new houses will be sustainable because they have to comply with six star legislation. Energy efficiency is only one aspect of ‘green building’ and should not be given overriding priority to all others. We base our designs on what I call 10 eco-logical essentials for sustainable houses, which includes things such as universal access, healthy home principles, and reducing our carbon footprint. On the positive side, there are now many professionals and builders in the industry who are embracing sustainable design and construction, and we are fortunate to work closely with some of these leaders in what is undoubtedly the future of housing design.
What changes have you seen towards building environmentally friendly homes? There is awareness now of the need and desirability to move in this direction, but I am still surprised by how few genuinely know all the parameters of designing or building in an environmentally friendly manner. But those who do are producing some incredible work as can be seen from the increase in the number and quality of submissions in such initiatives as the HIA Greensmart awards. Our job will not be complete until there is no more sustainable design categories in award programs as all homes will be assumed to be designed this way. But that unfortunately is still a way off.
THE BUILDERS CHOICE profile
Is there a lot of demand for homes that offer sustainable features and if so do you think that demand will grow? I can only talk from the perspective of people who approach my practice, but I am finding the awareness and demand for sustainable features growing exponentially. The pleasing thing is that the public is now aware of terms such as solar passive and thermal mass, which have largely been ignored since the last energy crisis in the 1970s. There is also a growing awareness of alternative building materials, but it can be a double-edged sword as there is also a lot of ‘greenwash’ about as well. There is also the danger of a misunderstanding of where priorities in spending should lie in creating a sustainable home, and I always emphasise the design first and foremost. A badly designed home with the incorrect orientation will never be sustainable even if you throw huge amounts of capital at it in terms of active systems like solar panels. Apart from the awareness generated by the media, there is also a desire by the public to reduce utility bills, and people being fed up with homes that are too hot in summer and freezing in winter. What are some of the best sustainability practices or materials currently available on the market? In terms of sustainability practices, I think the most important thing is undoubtedly to get the design right first, without that you will always be facing an uphill battle. A case in point is placing standard project home designs on inappropriate blocks. In our designs we always ensure the specific home type is appropriate to both its lot orientation and locality. A standard Perth home may be disastrous down south or up north. In terms of materials, there are so many newcomers on the market that you really have to do your research. I take a horses-for-courses approach in weighing up all the factors like energy performance, ease of construction, speed, local skills and so on. As a result we have built homes traditionally using insulated brickwork and gone lightweight where appropriate, or used rammed earth, insulated concrete formwork, it depends on a number of factors. Internally I am fond of polished concrete floors where thermal mass is required as it performs brilliantly and does not require the addition of adhesives or tiles, which all have an embodied energy, cost and labour component. We are also using cork floors, which are making a resurgence and are made from renewable sources, are softer to stand on than tile, are low allergen and now available in a huge selection of colours and formats.
How will the demand for sustainable home affect the industry in the future? I think there will have to be a radical rethink of the way we are currently designing and building homes as the demand for sustainable homes increases. The public will soon realise that these homes hold their value better and significantly reduce running costs, apart from being much more enjoyable to inhabit. If (when) mandatory disclosure comes in as it has in the Australian Capital Territory, houses that perform poorly from an energy perspective are going to be that much harder to sell, while sustainably designed homes will attract a premium. Builders and designers who have not embraced this future will fall behind and possibly disappear. How can the building industry adapt or change to increase the number of homes being built sustainably? I think education of personnel will be key, but specifically training designers to understand what a sustainable home should be and that it’s more than just facing it north. There will also have to be a shift in the way project home designs are seen as a product that can be put on any block, anywhere. What is your company’s point of difference in terms of sustainable home construction? Our belief that design is the most important aspect of being sustainable means that we are committed to stay as a design company but to ensure we can offer the full package we are associated with leading eco-builders that we can entrust to deliver quality in a sustainable way. We also have strategic alliances with several experts in various sustainable fields for energy rating, as well as energy-use consultants, water conservation and grey water specialists. We try to simplify the ‘green process’ for our clients by being able to show them the benefits and costs of these systems up front so they are able to choose with confidence. Apart from custom designs, we also offer series designs of pre-designed, costed and energy rated homes for various situations like small lot living and regional living that make our houses more accessible to more people. In this way we are operating in the area between project homes and one-off architect designs, catering to a market that wants a distinctive, sustainable and cost-effective home without costing the earth. BC
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The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 21
PROFILE
up close + personal with
gary macintosh ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, HAMES SHARLEY // interviewed by rhonda malkin
How did you get started in your career? I graduated from UWA in 1990 and have spent the majority of my time working in Perth. In 2001 I travelled to London and worked there for two years with a small company specialising in cinema feasibilities and entertainment complexes both in the UK and Europe however, returned to Western Australia because of the lifestyle which was ideal to raise a family, and also to develop my career further. My position as Associate Director with Hames Sharley could be described as being a director in training. I began work with the practice in 1992 as an Architect and over the years my position and responsibilities gradually evolved into one that focused on business development and project direction. In early 2012 I was offered the position of Associate Director where in addition to my current duties, some of my primary responsibilities now involve my contribution and coordination of management and operations with the company particularly in WA. Hames Sharley is a national practice with offices in nearly every state. It has national directors who oversee Hames Sharley as a group and regional directors who manage each of the state offices. Running alongside our regional offices are portfolio groups, set up to represent the expertise of various sectors including health, tertiary and research, commercial, retail, urban development and residential. These groups are led by portfolio leaders and supporting them are thought leaders. I am part of the residential thought leadership group and oversee the residential and mixed use projects within Western Australia. Can you describe the core business of Hames Sharley and your involvement in it? Hames Sharley is a multi-disciplined practice and therefore is involved in a variety of built forms, urban design and planning 22 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
work. When I first began with Hames Sharley 10 years ago, I became primarily involved in residential projects eventually leading into more senior roles that saw me managing numerous multi million dollar residential and mixed use projects. I have also been involved in retail projects, such as The Shops At Ellenbrook, which recently completed in Easter this year and was also involved in the design and implementation of some of the police operation centre in Midland early last decade. One thing that has greatly benefitted the company over the years is its ability to tackle many different project types enabling us to diversify our skills and gain experience in various sectors and disciplines. We don’t get tied down to any particular building type. We have a long history especially in the retail sector where we have been involved in the design of nearly every regional shopping centre within the state but, by the same token, the company has designed very pure architectural projects such as the award winning Swan Bell Tower and the Mandurah War Memorial. So it’s not just the large retail projects, it’s also the smaller quite intensive design projects as well, which we specialise in.
What do you think the skill base is that Hames Sharley draws upon to be able to head up these larger projects? Hames Sharley has a broad range of skilled personnel in the company, and not just purely architects. In WA especially we have a large urban development and advisory team that provides advice on urban design, asset management, community consultation and planning services. Each contribute in some way to the projects that come through the door, providing a much broader set of design skills to architectural projects. We don’t have departments doing their own projects, there is always a cross fertilisation of ideas and work within the studio here. We also have an interior design team, which gets involved in projects
THE BUILDERS CHOICE profile
One thing that has greatly benefitted the company over the years is its ability to tackle many different project types enabling us to diversify our skills and gain experience in various sectors and disciplines.
CU RR CO ENT S TS CO FO NS T R A RU C LL S TA T I O N TES
BUILDING FOR THE
ENVIRONMENT from the start rather than just having to choose a colour for a room at the end of the project. It’s that broad design sense that Hames Sharley has to every project they get involved in rather than a more narrow focus.
How have you seen the construction industry change in your time and what do you think are the new techniques and ideologies that are coming forward. Architecture is certainly always evolving and there are always new materials coming forward particularly from a commercial point of view. Residential is usually a fairly traditional market place however, commercial external materials are a lot more varied requiring architects to be constantly informed and to question methods of building. The needs of developers to be more efficient in their buildings and the sustainability requirements of commercial buildings drive this need for new materials. The one major thing we will see more of in the future is pre-built components coming to site to minimise the extent of labour, such as containerised modules. This hasn’t been done in Australia that much and is much more popular in European countries. Germany does it very well and does a lot of pre-built buildings. I think it will be something that will occur here more frequently as a result of the economic conditions which creates the need for putting buildings up efficiently and quickly. Do you think the GFC has had that much of an impact on the industry particularly in large scale projects? If the company had chosen to specialise in only one sector of the construction industry there may have been implications. However being a multidiscipline practice, Hames Sharley benefits from the diverse range of projects it is currently involved in, which has enabled the company to ride out the ebbs and flows of the market conditions. Do you do any charity work or are you a part of any boards? I have had a large involvement in the Perth Highland Pipe Band where I have been an active member for 25 years playing the bagpipes. I am the secretary and pipe sergeant of the band and we go to events around the state, both city and regional events, like agricultural shows and for Christmas pageants and ANZAC Day activities. It’s always great playing for a crowd and gives me a great balance between work and family life. BC
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up close + personal with
Jason Kunkler PROFILE
GENERAL MANAGER, PACT CONSTRUCTION
// interviewed by rhonda malkin
How was Pact Construction created? Pact Construction is the commercial construction arm of the Alcock/Brown-Neaves (ABN) Group of companies. The ABN Group is the second largest residential builder in the country and builds about 3000 homes a year in WA as well as Victoria. The group consists of Dale Alcock Homes, Webb & Brown-Neaves, Homebuyers Centre, Celebrations Homes, APG Homes, Dale Alcock Homes South West,TR Homes and Boutique Homes in Victoria as well as a range of supply businesses. The Group is essentially a vertically integrated business model. Pact Construction (previously operating as ABN Construction) was formed in 2004 for Dale Alcock and Garry Brown-Neaves, the two owners and directors of the ABN Group. General manager, Jason Kunkler joined the ABN Group in 2004 initially to build a few buildings intended to house some of the Group’s business operations as an initial brief. The first project was the new head office for Webb & Brown- Neaves that was completed in August 2004. The second project was a new head office for Celebration Homes that was completed in December 2004. During this early period Pact commenced tendering for some external project work flow and in early 2004 successfully tendered and won the tender to construct the new head office for The Housing Industry Association (HIA) in W.A. Part the way through the delivery of the Webb & Brown-Neaves office the directors asked me to start a commercial construction business, which is how ABN Construction formed then rebranded as Pact Construction in 2008. For the past nine years of operation the team has been able to deliver both internal and external projects, which has aided Pact’s ability to develop relationships outside of the ABN Group’s business with clients, sub-contractors, suppliers and consultants. Pact Construction has enjoyed a good flow of work over the
24 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
years. The company has grown and topped up on external projects by participating in either hard dollar or select tendering, through negotiation or consulting to clients and acting in a construction management capacity. All of these sources of external work flow have allowed the Pact Construction business to grow into what it is today.
What sorts of projects has the company completed recently? The company is currently building a $27 million office project for the WA Local Government Association (WALGA) in Railway Parade, West Leederville. It is a joint venture partnership between Qube Property Group and WALGA. The office development will be the head office for WALGA, which plans to take up about 1500sqm of the development. The project will include two levels of basement car parking, a ground floor podium level and three, 1500sqm floor plates bringing the total usable space to about 5000sqm. Pact Construction is also currently undertaking a $30 million project at Baldivis Senior High School, which is the largest education project Pact has ever undertaken. It’s the first high school in the southern corridor between Perth and Mandurah and there are some amazing, high quality finishes that have been applied to the build. The company seems to be able to tackle any type of construction requirements be it residential, commercial or land development. How does the company cater for all of those areas? Pact is very good at construction management, managing the process from the embryonic stage through to the delivery of the plan and construction of the project. All the way through
THE BUILDERS CHOICE profile
Pact is very good at construction management, managing the process from the embryonic stage through to the delivery of the plan and construction of the project.
there is an application of a skill-set in construction and project management, which the team is particularly good at. This skill-set is applied in every project Pact Construction takes on whether it’s a civil subdivision or a more conventional built form construction. Every sector can be covered from residential and commercial to education or health care. The disciplines remain the same and the process remains very similar. Pact Construction is currently undertaking a residential subdivision in Karratha for the ABN Group as a turn-key development. The project involves delivering 82 new homes to the residential market. It is a six hectare site where Pact Construction is responsible for land subdivision, road construction, major landscaping as well as modular house deliveries.
Does the company do any charity work? Pact Construction is committed to giving back to the community. The company has sponsored Assistance Dogs Australia and last year donated $26,000 to allow the acquisition, training and development of one of their assistance dogs. Pact has also sponsored Senses Foundation, which supports individuals, families and siblings of those affected by deafness and blindness. Pact recently completed a quarantine facility for the Shenton Park Dog Refuge. Pact Construction also built Club ADO at Princess Margaret Hospital, which was formed through the Starlight Foundation. It is essentially a retreat area for teenagers dealing with cancer. The level-seven extension offers a breakout area with playrooms and balcony areas for young patients to relax. Pact Construction delivered the facility for $50,000 some $100,000 less than real cost. Pact Construction’s charity committee meets once a month to work on charitable projects large and small. Where do you see the future of the company? Pact Construction has been on a consistent growth phase for the past three years and is modelling its business on medium to large scale projects. Pact Construction is competitive in a range of projects and is aiming at becoming a mid to second-tier builder over the next two to three years. In the three to five year band Pact Construction will become a solid second-tier performer capable of delivering much larger and more complex projects. BC
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 25
PROFILE
up close + personal with
michael lamattina & vic santella DIRECTORS, QUATTRO HOMES // interviewed by rhonda malkin
What is your company’s focus or philosophy? We have a lot of flexibility with the type of work we can do. Our key areas would be custom design, alterations and additions and unit developments. I think the way we really differentiate ourselves between our competition is by providing value added services, being able to manage subdivisions and liaising with statutory bodies when it comes to unit developments. For our alterations and additions we have a real skill base to draw from specifically in mid to large scale alterations and with the custom builds we take a one on one approach because we are a very boutique style of company. There’s a lot of buy-in with all of our clients across our three main segments and that’s our focus being very professional and proficient in what we do rather than being good out on site and bad in the office, we aspire to be very professional in all facets of the company. How has the company managed to stay at the forefront of building design and construction? We focus on building key relationships with some successful designers and architects in the industry and just as important we have maintained and built relationships around the trade base and supply base to ensure our products are what we promise it will be. In between those two we make some key decisions on taking some risks and those risks are all about trying new things or trying
26 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
things that aren’t attempted very often. We do push ourselves and we do have a strong skill base to draw from so I think those things keep our company in eye of the public and of our industry peers as well. We also have fantastic staff and you don’t always find an A-team like the one we have.
What type of home designs are people looking for nowadays? It is very diverse but more people are moving towards that structural steel, modern very open views, using the external environment, those types of designs are becoming more popular. We are also starting to see some of the classics re-emerge and used in a much more modern way be it a colonial or Hampton’s style home. I think more people are educated about being energy conscious and recycling and pushing the envelope a lot more. We believe that a lot of the new designs are heading that way as well to satisfy a more energy conscious client. Does your company have a particular design that it specialises or can you adapt to any type of requirements? It feels like we have built just about every style of home there is from Mediterranean, retro, modern European, colonial, ultra-modern and there are sometimes a mixture of all of these elements running through our home designs.
THE BUILDERS CHOICE profile
...more people are moving towards that structural steel, modern very open views, using the external environment...
I understand that your company is in a new phase can you explain what that will entail? We decided to rebrand and try to make it more obvious that Quattro Homes can offer immense diversity in what it offers to the public. So the rebranding of the name was very intentional and we moved towards creating three self-sufficient divisions that are driven by both Vic and I. That’s important to us because we believe our specialty is customer service and we supply that across all of our divisions. And although we don’t do every single alteration, addition or custom build that is possible we do have a good client mix that we deal with. They are the ones we work with one on one and is the person who needs our service the most, we target that demand the most. The work is rarely an issue for us because our core business is about developing relationships with our clients so that’s how we market ourselves and it’s the way we think about satisfying the needs of the market. Your company has been well recognised in the industry with many housing awards, how has the company managed to catch the attention of these accolades? When we build a home we always go into to it with the idea of achieving the best possible standard that we can, knowing all along that we have some of the best tradespeople in the industry. I think what’s important is the idea that we carry with us and Vic says all the time is that we build every house or development as if it was our own home. We prefer to give that little bit extra so we have had good consistency through what has been a very difficult time in the building industry over the past two years. Through the referrals, it all ties in very nicely to build a product as if it was your own. I have been very proud of Vic’s ability to deliver that outcome consistently. How is your concept home The Allure in Yokine working for your company and prospective clients and how will it affect your business in the future? Our concept home in Yokine is a huge investment for our company but the actual product itself is appropriate to a diverse client base. We have been successful in getting some traction from clients who want a product for a narrow lot that is actually on show with various levels of finishes. More important the clients are receiving it very well as they generally have very different ideas on what they want built and to have a home designed by Perth’s best designers and architects is certainly working well for us. It also breaks down the barrier of who Quattro Homes is and more importantly what Quattro can do. A lot of what we do behind the scenes hopefully translates to what we can do out in the field. BC
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 27
PROFILE
up close + personal with
stewart greensmith DIRECTORS, NS PROJECTS // interviewed by rhonda malkin
How long have you been in your current positions? I joined NS Projects in January 2005, bought shares and was promoted to Associate in 2007 and have been a Director since July 2010. As a senior project manager in 2005, together with my dedicated team of enthusiastic professional project managers, we have steadily grown the portfolio of built form projects from a net worth portfolio of $30 million in 2005 to over $1 billion today. What is the main point of difference in NS Projects – what does the company bring to the industry? Our key point of difference is that we adopt a collaborative approach and strive to be a step ahead, across all the key project issues and deliverables and to have strategies for difficult issues which may arise. This approach gives our clients and consultants comfort knowing that the project is well managed and each member of the team knows that if they need direction or decisions the company is well placed to respond appropriately. We invest in professional development and have active mentoring and student development programs. We have skills in at least 18 industry sectors which enables us to respond to a wide range of clients with differing needs. We have project managers who specialise in sectors including, health, retail, education, land assembly / subdivision, urban renewal, commercial / commercial fit-out, residential apartments, transport and infrastructure, defence,
28 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
sport and recreation. Each of these specialists is comfortable managing projects from the early feasibility and business case phases through to construction superintendency and transitioning clients into their new facilities.
How does NS Projects work in the current environment of seemingly low finance availability to deliver its products? We work in both the government and private sectors and since the global financial crisis of late 2008 a number of private sector clients have moved away from speculative developments and put their efforts into managing their current assets. Given our flexibility to work in both sectors we have been fortunate enough to have a number of projects for government providing business case, project definition planning and project management services. A further strategy has been to provide land assembly and accommodation project management services to the resource industry for the non process infrastructure. We have been successful in recently developing our business in this area with particular focus on the Pilbara area in WA. As confidence returns to the market and vacancy rates diminish in the Perth CBD we are seeing a resurgence of inner city commercial developments. We are currently involved with a private developer on an adaptive reuse project in the CBD, where there is a lot of interest in the finished product from a variety of blue chip tenants.
up close + personal with
damien fasher How long have you been in your current positions? I joined NS Projects in May 2004, bought shares and was promoted to Director in July 2010. I have managed a growing portfolio of land development, urban regeneration and building projects, working closely with a team of project management professionals. How did you get into your respective fields and what changes have you seen in your time? Like all good young boys, I wanted to be a pilot…however, after I realised that a lot of training and work experience later, the buzz of flying a commercial airliner was not that realistic. I looked across all disciplines in search of an industry that was interesting, had a diverse range of sub-options and would always exist. I found the Construction Management and Economics course at Curtin University and after finding out that my grandfather had worked for John Holland for 35 years before retiring, I applied and was accepted. After 12 months I was accepted by the Royal Australian Air Force’s University scholarship program which funded my studies and guaranteed my employment after University. Following a successful 6 year military career, I decided to re-enter the civilian world and found my place at NS Projects. The key change in the world of project management has been the clear acceptance by industry that skilled and experienced project managers bring real value to projects and our client organisations, increasing the trust and value of the relationships enjoyed each day. BC
...since the global financial crisis of late 2008 a number of private sector clients have moved away from speculative developments and put their efforts into managing their current assets.
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P: (08) 9752 3735 F: (08) 9751 3735 Lot 30 Molloy Street, Busselton WA 6280 www.bsnbitumen.com.au The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 29
The Perth Arena – COVER STORY
A reinvention of the concept
ARGUABLY THE MOST ICONIC STRUCTURE TO GRACE PERTH’S CBD IN A GENERATION, THE PERTH ARENA HAS CREATED A BUZZ THAT IS SET TO INJECT EXCITEMENT INTO THE ONCE RUN DOWN SECTION OF THE CITY.
TH
E
TE
AM
30 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
// words keith mexsom // images greg hocking
The staging of the hugely successful, Elton John concert as the official opening of Western Australia’s Perth Arena on the 10th of November was much more than just the celebration of a new entertainment and sporting venue. From that first curtain call, the Perth Arena at once became a premium destination for world-class acts and performers, elite sporting teams and quality productions. The opening concert also celebrated the accomplishment of a job well done by a dedicated team of designers, project managers, craftsmen and builders who worked so hard to transform Perth’s aspirations for an ‘intellectually rich arena and a landmark building of international standing’ to reality. The unique and complex assemblage of the Arena’s outer structure has already become part of the urban landscape in which it was designed to belong. At the same time, the structure’s ‘different face from every angle’ facades impart to the structure’s inner ‘activated edges’ of foyer, passageways, function rooms and the tavern bar, their many defined projections and convoluted voids. The Perth Arena journey started in November 2005 when architects and consultants were appointed, and planning started, for the construction of the new entertainment centre on Wellington Street. The structure forms part of the Perth City Link, a major 13.5 hectare, urban renewal and redevelopment project designed to reconnect the City’s CBD with the suburb of Northbridge. A joint-venture partnership of two of Australia’s leading architectural firms, ARM Architecture and Cameron Chisholm Nicol, were charged with the development of the brief to design the Perth Arena. Because of their extensive experience designing sporting facilities, the American-based, global design practice of RTKL also provided general advice.
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 31
residential THE BUILDERS CHOICE cover story
rising performance “We sought to convey into the design, in unique and exciting ways, the culture and identity of Perth and Western Australia as a whole...”
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32 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
ARM Architecture, founded in Melbourne in 1986 by three of the firm’s present Directors, Steve Ashton, Howard Raggatt and Ian McDougall, has since won many awards for its ‘strikingly innovative architecture’. Cameron Chisholm Nicol, with an Australian heritage stretching back to the 1880s, is renowned for its integrated, sustainable architecture and urban and interior design services. Peter Keleman is a Director of Cameron Chisholm Nicol and one of the Arena’s project architects. He described how the collaboration between the two firms and their various design concepts came together and were eventually accepted. “The joint venture was a 50/50 effort with various design and documentation tasks split between the respective offices and personnel exchanges occurring throughout the project,” said Peter. “RTKL’s advice focused on sporting requirements as this is the main function of most of their arenas in the USA, as opposed to music entertainment which dominates in Australia. Their advice was valuable in quickly establishing a comprehensive return brief, and in refining the schematic design. “We sought to convey into the design, in unique and exciting ways, the culture and identity of Perth and Western Australia as a whole. We also researched every comparable arena in Australia and New Zealand and the west coast of the US, so as to better understand current international best practice. This combination of research and design was enthusiastically accepted by the client, then (in 2005) the Department of Housing and Works. “The original concepts of the Perth Arena were developed after the establishment of a detailed return brief by the consultant team through consultation with a wide body of stakeholders. Stakeholders included various Government departments and statutory approval bodies, including the Government Architect, Hopman Cup officials, the Event Industry Association, prominent promoters, and the operator’s consultant. “The concepts were approved by the client after consultation with those same key stakeholders, the Government’s cost consultant, and recommendations from the Project Control Group (PCG) which included representatives from various Government agencies,” said Peter.
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THE BUILDERS CHOICE cover story
...the Arena can easily accommodate more than 14,000 spectators at events ranging from full-house tennis, basketball and rock concerts, to more intimate, half- or quarter-house theatre and dining.
The tendering process for the construction of the Perth Arena and car park was initiated in January 2007. In the meantime the Government requested investigations commence into the incorporation of a basement car park under the arena in lieu of the over-the-rail car park tendered. This required a substantial re-design and modifications to the above-ground design to accommodate subsequent knock-on effects for ventilation and egress. Despite the changes, by May 2007, the Buckeridge Group of Companies (BGC) was engaged as the main building contractor for the construction and excavation and sheet piling for the underground car park had started by August of that year. Founded in the 1960s by Len Buckeridge, BGC is a consortium of Western Australia-based companies engaged in the provision of residential and commercial building and the manufacture and distribution of building and construction products. Over the years, BGC has steadily broadened its services and product range, enhanced its supply capability, and outgrown the Western Australian market. As a result, BGC now has operations in each of Australia’s mainland states and its international reach extends to a distribution network in East Asia and New Zealand. The Perth Arena has been designed so as to function as a venue suitable for both sports events and entertainment. Its main bowl is not only fitted with moveable staging and retractable seating systems, but also scrim curtains which can be used to alter the size of the performance space required. This means that the Arena can easily accommodate more than 14,000 spectators at events ranging from full-house tennis, basketball and rock concerts, to more intimate, half- or quarter-house theatre and dining. As Peter Keleman explained, “The event floor, of some 3082 square metres, incorporates a tennis court inlaid into the surface, protected by a rubber and plywood cover when not required. Retractable seating around the event floor is utilised for events such as tennis and basketball, bringing spectators closer to the action. Demountable seating is also provided to infill event floor vomitories that are not required for tennis and basketball type events. The main bank of retractable seating is situated behind the stage area and converts the bowl from a u-shaped form to a performance, in-the-round configuration when required.
34 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
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THE BUILDERS CHOICE cover story
“Motorised curtain tracks are incorporated into the ceiling of the bowl so that scrim curtains can be deployed to reduce the bowl to half- and quarter-house configurations, ensuring an intimate feel for smaller capacity events. The process is partly automated with motorised hoists, but the drapes are typically stored out of the bowl area when not required. “The arena roof structure, described as ‘one of the most complex, steel building constructions in Australia’, is a matrix of truss systems consisting of two, 132m-long mega trusses that span 115m over the whole bowl area and support both the fixed and moving roof portions over the bowl and the
tiered seating at the ends. The mega trusses are supported by four mega-columns to span the entire bowl without sightline interference. “The primary reason for the roof steel complexity is the requirement to support an opening roof, while remaining column free. The roof grid also has class-leading, load capacity to support the widest possible variety of touring acts and shows,” said Peter. “The roof is dominated by the operable roof system running on east-west tracks to provide an open area of 54m by 34m. Eight bogies are required to support the two, roof panel
We are WSP Proud to be involved with the Perth Arena. WSP provide best practice sustainable consulting in the built and natural environment. This involves designing, engineering, and managing property, transport, infrastructure, environmental and energy projects. We’ve proven that sustainable building design is vital to a sustainable business platform which is why we’ve been chosen to work on some seriously high profile buildings across the region. WSP were involved with Perth Arena concept to construction phase, providing mechanical and electrical services; sustainability by our specialist environmental division WSP Built Ecology; and architectural lighting from our specialist lighting division WSP Vision Design. WSP are very proud to have been involved one of Perth’s most ambitious projects such as the Perth Arena. Perth Office 35 Ventnor Avenue West Perth Western Australia 6005 Australia Telephone 61 8 9426 4900 Facsimile 61 8 9481 1279 www.wspgroup.com.au
UNITED BY OUR DIFFERENCE
36 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
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THE BUILDERS CHOICE cover story
sections, with each bogie distributing the load evenly between two, dual-wheel, live-axle assemblies. The roof opening, which can be closed in less than 10 minutes, will provide sunshine on the court, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2.30 p.m. during the January Hopman Cup. “Weatherproofing a structure with such a complex number of roof pitches and interconnections has been achieved by using Fielders KingKlip 700 (rolled on site) for the main roofs and northern sloping roof. The Arena’s various facades are protected by Kalzip sheeting over which open-jointed, triangular Alucobond panels are fixed as a form of rain screen,” said Peter. “The building acoustics design achieves both noise attenuation between event spaces and between the interior and exterior of the venue. The design also ensures clarity of speech and amplified music in the event spaces. Significant attention was given to ensuring material selection and detailing would achieve our acoustic objectives. “For example, the bowl ceiling and wall linings have been carefully designed
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38 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
CONCRETE REINFORCEMENT STEEL FIXING ience r e p x e s r a e y 5 2 over skilled steel fixers...AT THE PERTH ARENA rdination excellent management co-o Joe – 0437 788 050 Carole – 0418 232 590 Ph/Fax (08) 9397 9994 20 Simons Drive, Roleystone WA 6111 E: proreo2@bigpond.com
THE BUILDERS CHOICE cover story
to both absorb sound and limit reflectivity. To do that, we have used acoustically-backed, perforated corrugated sheet and perforated MDF panels on top of multiple layers of sound insulation. “The operable roof is also designed with sound-insulating baffles around all edges to minimise sound break-out. The seating plat, air-delivery plenum also had to be carefully designed, using acoustic baffles and heavy insulation behind the plenum, to ensure that sound leakage through the air-delivery slots was minimised,” said Peter. “The latter is part of the displacement air delivery system to the bowl which delivers conditioned air directly to where the patrons are seated, displacing the unconditioned air upwards. This uses significantly less energy than the traditional top-down air conditioning approach which requires the entire volume of the air in the bowl to be conditioned. It also minimises the mixing of the air, providing higher quality, indoor air. “An integrated Building Management System controls and monitors the HVAC, operable windows and lighting systems. It also monitors the moving roof, lifts and escalators, hydraulics, refrigeration, PV cells, security and fire systems. “The Arena also boasts one of the largest roof-mounted, solar panel arrays in the Perth metropolitan area with the capacity to generate up to 108kW of power. This will provide most of the base load power needed for the car park,” said Peter. As well as the Arena’s main bowl, the complex also includes 36 corporate suites which are situated on two levels to provide maximum, centre-stage views of the auditorium in all event modes. Five separate and uniquely designed function rooms are also located throughout the complex which, together with the ground floor café and bar, will be open
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40 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
Dulux Specification and Construction Services COMMERCIAL SPECIFICATION SERVICES
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Wet paint samples (up to 1L) can also be provided by Dulux for onsite application in order to check and agree colour and/or texture consistency.
Jacqui Wayman Specification & Project Services Consultant 276 Rutland Avenue, Welshpool WA 6106 Mobile: 0412 919 688 Email: jacqui.wayman@dulux.com.au
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THE BUILDERS CHOICE cover story
Photo by Luke Davey
regardless of what events may or may not be taking place in the main auditorium. The largest of the function rooms can hold up to 670 people and three of these rooms have outdoor terraces that are accessible by means of large, bi-folding doors. During the day, a profusion of natural light illuminates these rooms and glimpses of Perth’s blue sky are facilitated by strategically-placed skylights etched into their dramatically-shaped ceilings. “It was a conscious decision to give each function space a unique identity which provides variety to suit different purposes and in response to the unique form and size of each space. However, there is, typically, a continuity of materials and design ideas that permeate from the exterior to, and throughout, the interior of the venue. “For instance, the timber panelling used throughout the concourses and function spaces is of clear-finished or blue-stained, Miratone-finished, plantation-sourced hoop pine, in both solid and acoustically-treated (perforated) configurations,” said Peter.
The operational organisation and facilities of the Perth Arena are managed on behalf of Venues West, by AEG Ogden, a global venue operator which also manages Perth’s Concert Hall and His Majesty’s Theatre. The Arena’s main sporting tenants include the Perth Wildcats basketball team and the Hyundai Hopman Cup competition which is to be held at the Arena at the end of the year. One of the original goals of the Arena’s designers was to ‘reinvent the perception of a standard arena and make something that would become an icon for the city’. According to Peter Keleman, that goal has been achieved. “However, the public will be the ultimate judges of this achievement in due course. We believe that Perth Arena will come to represent a benchmark for multi-purpose entertainment arenas for the quality of the experience for the patrons and the performers,” said Peter. BC Cameron Chisholm Nichols: (08) 9322 1566, www.ccnwa.com.au ARM Architecture: (08) 6102 4030, www.a-r-m.com.au BGC: www.bgc.com.au
Proud to have produced Perth Arena’s main entrance mat – one of the largest entrance mats ever manufactured in Australia.
BIRRUS MATTING SYSTEMS P: 03 9701 2544 12 Overseas Drive NOBLE PARK VIC 3174 E: sales@birrusmatting.com.au www.birrusmatting.com.au 42 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
Ph: (03) 9457 5880 Email: trent@trent.com.au Web: www.trent.com.au
PERTH ARENA EcoGlo – Lighting up your future pathways INNOVATIVE PRODUCT SOLUTIONS Unit 5/102 Norma Road, Myaree WA 6154 Mob 0400 126 634 I Off Ph/Fax (08) 9330 1991 Email owenb@innovativeps.com.au I www.innovativeps.com.au
Stainless Steel Tactile Warning Indicators I Aluminium Stair-nosing with Glow Strips Wall & Door Protection I Re-cycled Rubber Flooring I Architectural Entrance Mats
COMMERCIAL
More Gaming Room at the Crown THE CROWN CASINO HAS UNDERGONE AN INCREDIBLE TRANSFORMATION IN RECENT MONTHS AND WHILE CHANGES ARE STILL UNDERWAY IT IS READY TO TAKE PERTH BY STORM WITH THE COMPLETION OF NEW GLAMOROUS AND VERY COSMOPOLITAN GAMING FACILITIES.
TH
E
A TE
M
44 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
// words keith mexsom // images wayne mccay
Even when extending the bach, there is always more to it than simply knocking a hole in a wall and attaching a new room. So one can only imagine what it has taken to extend and improve the lavish décor and amenities of the fully operational, 24-hour Gaming Room of Perth’s Crown Casino. Situated on the eastern banks of the Swan River, only minutes from the Perth CBD and both domestic and international airports, Crown Perth is a fully-integrated entertainment precinct that is renowned for its world-class facilities, entertainment, premium restaurants and luxury accommodation. Formerly known as the Burswood Entertainment Complex, the name was changed to Crown Perth in September 2012, following the completion of a $750 million refurbishment. Part of that refurbishment included
THE BUILDERS CHOICE commercial
the extension of the Casino’s main gaming room, external works associated with that extension, and the ongoing renovation of the original room and its amenities. While the continuing refurbishment of the original casino gaming floor is not expected to be completed until March 2013, the gaming room extension and external landscaping was finished in plenty of time for Crown’s rebranding and subsequent, September grand opening. The award-winning building firm, Probuild, successfully tendered for the full Design and Construct, Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) project and work started on the site in August 2011. Probuild was founded in Victoria in 1987 by Phil Mehrten who expanded the business into New South Wales in 2002. After controlling its growth and consolidating relationships with valued clients, while preserving its original people-focused culture, Probuild has now become a nationally diversified company with more than 300 employees, many of whom have been with the company for more than 20 years.
Probuild commenced operations in Western Australia in 2006 and has since completed many building projects, including multi-storey office and retail complexes at 140 William Street and Raine Square in the Perth CBD. (see The Builders Choice Magazine, December 2011) The Probuild team was carefully selected for its skill and ability to manage the design and construction processes in a GMP and very much ‘live’ Crown Casino environment. The team consisted of personnel with international and casino construction experience and were well supported by staff from Probuild’s Melbourne and Sydney offices. Probuild’s project manager during the gaming room extension was Greg Munday who has been employed by Probuild since November 2010. “The original brief for the project included the construction of the gaming floor extension, together with new basement and ground floor entrances and cashier rooms. The new building also included the ‘The Merrywell’ gastro pub, café, bar, restaurant and toilet facilities.
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 45
THE BUILDERS CHOICE commercial
“Also included in the original brief was an extensive landscaping package, an upgrade of the existing Colonnade and the refurbishment of the existing gaming floor,” said Greg. “As the project progressed, a number of items were added, including a new entertainment lounge, the upgrade of the facades to the Metropol and Promenade Hotels and an enhancement to the Metropol arrival porte cochère. “Working in a live casino environment created a number
of challenges. Maintaining the 24-hour operations of the casino, hotels and convention centre facilities, while ensuring customer satisfaction and safety was paramount. Noisy or disruptive works were undertaken during a small window of time and were always at the mercy of feature events and/or VIP guests,” said Greg. “The fast-tracked nature of the project also created additional challenges, with design release constantly under
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We are now exclusive WA importers and suppliers of prefinished ceiling panels (Above View Products) and the architectural atmosphera ceiling fins (Arktura Systems) used on the new Burswood extension completed in September 2012 and renamed The Crown Casino. With product flexibility we can provide an extensive range and variety of ceiling systems suitable for most commercial projects. The Above View ceiling panel is an exquisitely executed, copyrighted design, and all panels are manufactured using patented composition and a proprietary manufacturing process that consistently provides a unique high quality product. The Arktura atmosphere ceiling fins are a dynamic ceiling system that are architecturally designed, this unique ceiling system can be configured to suit many designs and requirements. Realising time is a major factor on commercial projects, we can deliver within the metro area same day if product is in stock and wrap products on pallets ready for transportation to various locations across WA. Our client C &L Ceilings were awarded the AWCI WA Excellence Award in the Commercial sector 2012, for Excellence in the installation of internal lining products on the Burswood Casino Gaming Extension. Please visit our client’s website for Photo’s on various products supplied by AUBS: www.clceilings.com.au
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www.skywardroofplumbing.com.au 46 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
ABOVE VIEW CEILING PANELS
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THE BUILDERS CHOICE commercial
[The] refurbishment included the extension of the Casino’s main gaming room, external works associated with that extension, and the ongoing renovation of the original room and its amenities.
pressure. However, the international designers were successfully managed by our full-time, design management team who ensured that construction activities were not affected. “As time was a large driver of the project, additional night and evening shifts were undertaken throughout most of the project to ensure all completion dates were met. During these works, staff and contractors had to be carefully managed so as to ensure continuity between shifts. “Another challenge posed by the project was the number of
stakeholders and decision makers that the project team had to manage internally. This amount of dialogue sometimes resulted in a number of changes to design and/or material selection – sometimes at critical stages of the project. “Once this challenge was identified, there was a conscious effort by both Probuild and Crown’s projects team to ensure communication was maintained between all stakeholders at all times,” said Greg. Rob Lee was Probuild’s site supervisor for the landscaping
EcoGlo – Lighting up your future pathways INNOVATIVE PRODUCT SOLUTIONS Unit 5/102 Norma Road, Myaree WA 6154 Mob 0400 126 634 I Off Ph/Fax (08) 9330 1991 Email owenb@innovativeps.com.au I www.innovativeps.com.au
Stainless Steel Tactile Warning Indicators I Aluminium Stair-nosing with Glow Strips Wall & Door Protection I Re-cycled Rubber Flooring I Architectural Entrance Mats The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 47
THE BUILDERS CHOICE commercial
Coolon LED Lighting continues to deliver cove lighting solutions unparalleled in excellence Working to Crown’s tight deadlines, Coolon manufactured over 5 kilometres of LED strip lighting for their reinvigorated Burswood Casino. While LEDs are notoriously difficult to match in colour temperature and output attributes, Coolon maintains a host of in-house testing facilities including a full photometric lab, to ensure consistency across an entire project and provide the best possible results from strip to strip. Only superior quality components are sourced, and adherence to our quality control procedures allow for tracking and tracing each strip to its exact location in the venue prior to installation, thereby significantly reducing installation time on site. All strips feature on-board thermal management, 0-10V dimming and are compatible with a range of proprietary control systems. Coolon develops close partnerships with both suppliers and customers to deliver the highest quality and supreme reliability LED lighting solutions in a range of applications. All Coolon LED products are proudly made in Australia. ADVERTORIAL SUPPLIED BY CLIENT
48 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
part of the project which started in April 2012 and was completed in August. Rob completed his apprenticeship with Probuild and has now worked five years for the firm. “There were some big challenges to meet, particularly during the outside upgrades and enhancement to the outer facades and approaches to the Casino and Hotel entrances,” said Rob. “The landscaping elements of the project created their own complications as access had to be maintained for hotel guests at all times with public and construction vehicles being carefully managed to ensure the safety of all. “That called for good coordination, and communication of the works process with the client so as to maintain vehicle access throughout the site and the safe management of the public, especially during events. It was all a matter of minimising interruptions to casino operations, including the control of noise,” said Rob. When asked if the Crown Casino project, particularly the Gaming Room extension, had been another success for Probuild, Greg Munday replied that his company
THE BUILDERS CHOICE commercial
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MG Exteriors are proud to have completed all the external honed concrete, stone tiles and concrete planters at the new Crown Metropol. We are market leaders in the installation of commercial concrete and stone. Specialising in complete structural concrete packages, to civil streetscape upgrades, to the most complex hardscape projects.
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To put your facilities on the path to energy optimisation, contact your Honeywell representative, call (08) 93629566 or visit http://www.honeywell.com.au or visit Attune.Honeywell.com © 2012 Honeywell International Inc. All rights reserved.
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 49
THE BUILDERS CHOICE commercial
had more than demonstrated its capabilities to the Crown Perth management. “Rightly so, Crown has very high expectation levels of quality, tight budgets and time frames from their contractors but Probuild has met those expectations by delivering such a challenging project on time, on budget and to the high level of quality that Crown expects.
“We have also demonstrated that when managed correctly, high-pressure works in a confined environment can be undertaken safely and without injury to personnel or the public,” said Greg. BC Probuild: (08) 9363 1400, www.probuild.com.au Hassell: (08) 6477 6000, www.hassellstudio.com Taylor Robinson: (08) 9388 6111, www.taylorrobinson.com.au Cagley & Tanner: www.cagleyandtanner.com
Deluxe wood flooring specialists Phone us today!!
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50 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
Addstyle Flooring has been at the forefront of the timber flooring industry for over 13 years, providing the complete service of supply, installation, sanding and polishing through to cleaning and maintenance. Addstyle Flooring has been recognised as a company which goes beyond traditional techniques to meet the innovative needs of customers who wish to have a completely unique floor. Providing Perth and the surrounding suburbs all manner of flooring needs, from wood flooring to laminate. Proud suppliers and installers of flooring and cladding in the Merrywell.
// words Alan Chelvan, training manager – The West Australian Group Training Scheme Inc // images
The West Australian Group Training Scheme inc is to be congratulated for 20 years of providing apprentices to the construction and hairdressing industries and to their dedication to the training and mentoring of apprenticeships in Western Australia. WAGTS is proud to announce 20 years of service to the training sector and would like to praise their many host employers and affiliations that have played such an integral part of their success “The Construction Training Fund has a strong working relationship with WA Group Training, which has achieved
excellent results in providing career opportunities and training for young people entering the construction industry in Western Australia,” Construction & Training Fund executive director, Ralph Dawson said. “WAGTS has a strong record of achievement in apprenticeship training and through its group training company has provided training and employment by working with individual contractors in the industry that has been beneficial to everybody involved. “It is a pleasure to congratulate WA Group training on 20 years of operation and to wish the company every success in the future.” WAGTS started its humble beginnings 20 years ago with only a handful of apprentices in construction. It was brought into existence by the construction unions and major construction employers in 1991 in order to provide apprentices to the construction industry. WAGTS is responsible for mentoring and training about 3000 apprentices through their apprenticeships since its conception. Working closely with the construction and hairdressing industries, they find the knowledge that they have strengthened these industries through training, both humbling and rewarding.
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 51
TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
Praise for apprenticeship training scheme
THE BUILDERS CHOICE commercial training & development
BOARD MEMBERS: (From left to right) Frank Allen – CEO, Gerry Hanssen, Terry McParland, Andrew Peppercorn – Chairman, Fred Mason, Charles Pace – Vice Chairman, Scott McKenna & James Kemp.
WAGTS has had several addresses over the years starting out in Beaufort Street, Wittenoom Street, Balga TAFE, Malaga and Wangara where it now occupies its own premises. In these years WAGTS apprentice numbers have increased from a handful and peaked at 385 apprentices. WAGTS is a community based, not for profit organisation that consists of a board, chief executive officer and about 15 staff. The staff are made up of highly experienced and qualified lecturers, field officers and an administration team. The field
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52 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
officers are always on hand to help and guide their apprentices through to completion of their apprenticeship. Coupled with the fantastic support of their administration team, apprentices and host employers are always a main priority. In addition to being a group training organisation (GTO), WAGTS branched out and became a registered training organisation (RTO) in 2009. A college of construction and a college of hairdressing were created and opened by the honourable member, Peter Collier at its premises in Wangara
PHONE: 08 9363 1400 www.probuild.com.au
THE BUILDERS CHOICE training & development
WAGTS is responsible for mentoring and training approx 3000 apprentices through their apprenticeships since its conception. where they currently undertake carpentry, bricklaying and hairdressing courses (Certificate III and access courses). At the official opening of these premises, Peter Collier was quoted as saying “These colleges offer state of the art facilities and is a welcome addition that will improve the quality of training to apprentices in WA,” Mr Collier said. “Their RTO provides an excellent and innovative approach to training through their professional, motivated and dedicated team. With small classes and train station pick up service it ensures maximum support to their students.” WAGTS chief executive Frank Allen also expressed his delight at the success of the group. “It has been a pleasure serving for WAGTS over the last 15 years,” Mr Allen said. “It has been a privilege to see apprentices grow and become excellent tradespersons and to have the co-operation and support of our host employers in achieving this milestone of 20 years.” BC West Australian Group Training Scheme Inc: (08) 9408 0025, www.wagts.org.au
Choosing the right Estimating software can make all the difference to your business Invest into something that can help your business grow. As a Builder you must be able to quote a project accurately in order to run a successful business, if your quote is too high, another builder will probably get the job. If your quote is too low, then you risk not being able to turn an adequate profit. Constructor Business Management Software allows you to produce quotes based on your own supplier pricing information and enables you to create BOQ’s quickly. Simply use your cost price and apply a retail mark-up. Estimating software needs to be: • Easy to use • Able to produce accurate BOQ • Fully customisable • Australian owned & operated For more information visit www.constructor.com.au, phone (03) 5221 4900 or email sales@constructor.com.au
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The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 53
INDUSTRY NEWS & VIEWS
When is a reduction in a scope of work a termination by any other name? // words candice van der plas, senior associate – bowen buchbinder vilensky
The reduction of a scope of work under a contract is generally fertile ground for disputes to arise. What happens in circumstances where a scope of work is reduced substantially or a direction is issued to wholly exclude work previously within the scope - does this constitute a termination of the contract? And more importantly what happens if a scope of work is taken off a contracted party only to be handed to a third party? Until quite recently, the general legal view was that unless there were express terms to the contrary, once a company was contracted to do a certain quantity of work, they had the right to do it - if it was to be done at all. This meant that work could
54 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
be taken out of the contract but only if that work is no longer required. It was also well established in the case of Carr v JA Berriman Pty Ltd that it is not acceptable for a principal to take work off a contractor for the purpose of handing it to a third party. Specifically, in Carr, the contract gave the Architect the following power: “The Architect may in his absolute discretion and from time to time issue ….. written instructions or written directions…. in regard to the ….. omission …. of any work ….. The Builder shall forthwith comply with all Architect’s instructions”. In relation to that clause the High Court of Australia held: “The words quoted from it would authorise the Architect (doubtless within certain limits, which were discussed in R v Peto) to direct the particular items of work included in the plans and specifications shall not be carried out. But they do not, in my opinion, authorize him to say that particular items so included shall be carried out not by the builder with whom the contract is made but by some other builder or contractor. The words used do not, in their natural meaning, extend so far, and the power in the Architect to hand over at will any part of the contract to
THE BUILDERS CHOICE industry news & views
As always, forewarned is forearmed. Seeking advice from a qualified lawyer with experience in your industry before signing any contract will always be a lot less expensive and painful...
another contractor would be a most unreasonable power, which very clear words would be required to confer.” It was clear from that point onwards, that a company should have the opportunity to perform the whole of the contract work. Unless the contract provided for the taking away of a portion of the works to specifically allow it to be undertaken by another contractor, doing so would constitute a breach of contract. This entitled the contractor from whom the works were taken to claim damages against the principal. But this understanding has changed since the December 2011 Federal Court decision of BAE Systems Australia Limited v Cubic Defence New Zealand Limited . The case potentially has very serious implications for all principals, contractors and subcontractors. Particularly, in BAE Systems it was held that: (a) The right to reduce or omit the scope of work under a contract does not of itself result in termination of the contract; and (b) A party which has reduced the scope of work to be performed in the future under the contract to zero can be found to have terminated the contract, if the reduction is in substance a termination. However, the BAE Systems then went on to indicate that parties can terminate for convenience even in circumstances where an express provision of the contract is not strictly adhered to – seemingly in contrast to the long held principles set out in Carr.
BAE Systems Australia v Cubic Defence New Zealand In the case of BAE Systems, Cubic Defence entered into a contract with the Department of Defence (“DOD”) for the supply, operation, support and maintenance of certain information and simulation systems for a training program (“Head Contract”). Cubic Defence then subsequently entered into a subcontract with BAE Systems for the provision of supplies and support services in relation to the training program (“Subcontract”). Under the Head Contract and Subcontract the works for the training program were divided into two phases, being an acquisition phase (which had already been completed) and what was referred to as an operate and support/manage phase (“OSM”) which was ongoing. In October 2011, Cubic Defence advised BAE Systems that the DOD had “terminated for convenience that portion of the Prime Contract…. that includes all Operations Support and Maintenance (O/S&M) requirements” and purported to terminate for convenience in the subcontract “all of the corresponding OSM requirements”. In terminating the Subcontract, Cubic Defence relied on a clause in the Subcontract that allowed for termination (or a reduction in the scope of work) in circumstances where Cubic Defence had received a corresponding notice to that effect from the DOD.
In this case, instead of providing a “notice” to Cubic Defence, the DOD provided them with a Deed that purported to reduce the scope of the Head Contract by deleting all of the OSM requirements and making the OSM requirements the basis of a separate contract. BAE Systems issued proceedings in the Federal Court seeking a declaration that the Deed between the DOD and Cubic Defence did not amount to notice under the relevant termination clause of the head contract and therefore could not have terminated the subcontract. Upon review of the Deed and the conduct between the DOD and Cubic Defence, the court found that if the effect of what occurred was a variation which amounted to a reduction in the scope of the Head Contract, then Cubic Defence was bound to pass on that reduction under the Subcontract. In essence, the court found that if a reduction in the scope of work under the head contract has the effect of removing all future work to be performed under the subcontract, then the contractor can terminate the subcontract for convenience. Therefore, in circumstances where a notification is provided to a subcontractor and is expressed incorrectly (or phrased as a termination when it is in fact simply a reduction in scope) this will not render the notice invalid provided that the “substance” of what was intended in the notice is covered by the relevant clauses in the contract. The decision in BAE Systems indicates a shift away from the traditionally strict approach adopted in Carr - where work can only be omitted provided the terms conferring such power are specific and unambiguous. It would appear the courts are now considering the substance of the parties’ actions and not merely the terms of the contract. Importantly however, the Carr case was not referred to in the BAE Systems decision and it is unsure how the two decisions interface with each other (if at all) at this stage. What does all this mean to principals, contractors and subcontractors? In my view, because of the current ambiguity between Carr and BAE Systems the safest option remains the narrow approach adopted in Carr. That is, the parties should strictly adhere to the express terms of the contract. This is particularly so in circumstances where disputes are likely to be rife. Never is this more applicable than in circumstances where a party is seeking to reduce work under a contract which will have the obvious effect of reducing profit down-line to the contractor or subcontractor. As always, forewarned is forearmed. Seeking advice from a qualified lawyer with experience in your industry before signing any contract will always be a lot less expensive and painful than having to deal with disputes that could emerge down the line. For further information please go to: www.bbvlegal.com.au or contact Candice Van Der Plas directly on 08 9325 9644. BC BBV Legal: (08) 9325 9644, www.bbvlegal.com.au
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 55
INDUSTRY NEWS & VIEWS
Working together to reduce suicide in the construction industry
// words lisa shearon
It’s a startling statistic, the number one killer of men under the age of 44 isn’t heart disease, cancer or even traffic accidents, it is, in fact, suicide. What’s even more disturbing is that men working in the construction industry are twice as likely as the average Australian male to die from suicide. Put starkly, a construction worker is up to six times more likely to die from suicide than from an accident at work. The reasons behind this are vague, but what is known is that suicide is preventable. It’s for this reason the Mates in Construction charity was set up. It began in Queensland in 2008, although it soon became clear that the issue of suicide in the construction industry wasn’t just confined to the sunshine state. Western Australia’s arm of the charity was launched during suicide prevention week in September 2011. Since then, it has received some funds from the State Government through
56 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
the Ministerial Council for Suicide Prevention and the Federal Government via the Department of Health and Ageing, allowing it to expand and put on staff. Mates in Construction WA chief executive Sergio Del Borrello said the reasons behind the high rate of suicide in the construction industry were many and varied. “We don’t have all the answers as to why, but we believe some of the life events and quality of life issues that construction workers experience include long working hours, a culture of heavy alcohol use, a culture at times of not speaking openly, and financial and relationship difficulties. “I think relationship issues are one of the major factors,” Mr Del Borrello continued. “When a relationship does break down it can floor some people, particularly if the children are gone too. “Men really miss their children when relationships break up and they really struggle with not having access, especially when they’re working the hours that they work. Generally speaking, even if they are with their partner and their children, working six days a week for 60-70 hours doesn’t really give you the opportunities for your relationships to flourish,” he added. “Financially it’s also difficult in construction, in that work isn’t always consistent. People are made redundant frequently and can’t rely on a steady stream of income with any regularity. Those are some of the factors we come across.” According to Mr Del Borrello, the charity’s focus is on boosting workers’ mental health. “When people have the resilience, the likelihood of them wanting to suicide is lessened.
THE BUILDERS CHOICE industry news & views
“Our programme addresses these concerns by setting up an atmosphere or a community around the construction industry, which is receptive to the concerns that people have. It allows for communication...”
“Our programme addresses these concerns by setting up an atmosphere or a community around the construction industry, which is receptive to the concerns that people have. It allows for communication,” he explained. “If people can begin to discuss some of their issues it can make things a lot easier. People talk about men holding in their emotions and not getting help but that’s a simplistic way of looking at it…I think it goes beyond just not talking about things.” To make it easier for workers to express what they need to say, the charity has put in place general awareness training on work sites. “With this particular programme we train people to begin to understand some of the signs that people who are doing it tough show,” Mr Del Borrello added. “At the end of that general awareness training we give people the opportunity to put their hand up and say, ‘Hey, I need some help,’ which is not often done. “We know through some research that of people who suicide, 93 per cent of them do not seek professional help. Fifty per cent will talk to someone close to them and attempt to describe to them that they’re struggling, but those people don’t necessarily pick up on the cues,” he said. “We know people are going to their friends, family and workmates rather than a doctor. That’s why we want those people to know what to look for so they can go and get people the help they require. That’s what this programme’s all about.” Once a worker has been identified as needing help, the charity is able to connect that person with the relevant services. “We recognise that there are a lot of good services out there already in the community,” Mr Del Borrello said. “Rather than replicate those services we refer people to the services once we’ve conducted our assessment of a worker. If it’s something simple then we’ll refer them to a simple service, whether it be a counsellor, a financial counsellor, a GP, family services, whatever the case may be. “If it appears there are fairly complex issues or a number of issues then we have a case-management service. “More in-depth assessment occurs and we follow up with the person on a regular basis until the issues are dealt with
or resolved. “It could be that we work with a person for two months or we work with a person for two years.” As well as the general awareness training on work sites, the charity also offers a four-hour ‘connector’ programme for willing volunteers. “During those four hours we take them to the next level. We teach them some listening skills so the person who’s at risk feels more comfortable being able to tell them what they’re going through,” Mr Del Borrello said. “We also get them to a stage where if they suspect the person is feeling suicidal they have the courage to ask that person, ‘Are you feeling suicidal?’ “When a person is feeling suicidal they’re not necessarily going to come out and say it unless they know the person they are speaking to feels comfortable speaking openly about suicide. “Then, if the person is feeling suicidal, the connector person can forward them on to someone who can help.” A third level of training offered by the charity is the ‘assist’ programme, which is two days of learning how to assist someone who may be feeling suicidal. “It’s a bit like first aid in that the trained person can assist someone who’s feeling suicidal in the same way a first-aid-trained person can assist someone with a personal injury. “Anyone can learn these basic skills, apprentices, construction managers or labourers. “The programme is about lifting people’s awareness and knowledge about suicide so they’re more accurately able to report on what the case is rather than what they think is the case,” Mr Del Borrello said. As a not-for-profit charity, Mates in Construction WA offers its services free of charge, relying on industry for its long-term sustainability. “We really need the industry to support us, sponsor us and make donations. That way we can focus on building a more resilient workforce with less LTIs, absenteeism and stronger productivity,” Mr Del Borrello concluded. BC Mates in Construction WA, 1300 642 111 (24-hour helpline), www.matesinconstruction.org.au
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 57
COMMERCIAL
Entire goldfields region to benefit from refurbished health campus // words ns projects // images pindan construction
The go to facility for the Goldfields region, delivering a comprehensive range of core clinical services in state of the art facilities for the community...
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The Kalgoorlie Health Campus (KHC) redevelopment project commenced in 2009 in response to the Reid Report and Goldfields Clinical Services Plan. The approved Business Case required hospital upgrades and incorporates several newly built facilities for departments including palliative care; emergency department; high dependency unit; medical imaging and upgrade to the outpatient clinics. It is a State Government funded project for which Royalties for Regions has contributed $15.8 million. Once completed, KHC’s role and capacity will be expanded to become the go to facility for the Goldfields region, delivering a comprehensive range of core clinical services in state of the art facilities for the community of the inland city, as well as the surrounding area that is three times the size of Victoria and includes many remote towns, mine sites and communities.
Our Role NS Projects is appointed as Project Manager to manage a team for the Stage 1 redevelopment. This role requires NS Projects to develop a thorough understanding of the facility and work up options to provide as much upgrade as possible for the funding available. Part of the role is to advise on procurement solutions that bring essential services online within staged timeframes, whilst maintaining the operation of the current hospital.
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The review of the Master Plan and site services was a priority which required early attention to identify the opportunities and constraints associated with the site.
Challenges Overcome A major challenge is managing the redevelopment and site works whilst maintaining the functionality and operation of the health services. The success of this project hinges around making the best planning choices and choosing the most appropriate procurement / implementation method along with the strong teamwork both in KHC’s team and in the Perth-based consulting team. This challenge is being met by breaking up the project into three key sub-stages: Stage 1A – Palliative Care Stage 1B – Emergency / Medical Imaging /High Dependency Unit Stage 1C – Outpatients / Medical Records / Allied Health Improvements for the Health Service Works completed to date have been the addition of a three bed palliative care unit to the medical ward of the hospital. In addition to the private rooms this facility provides patients access to private outdoor courtyards. ‘Each room has been designed for comfort as well as clinical care,’ said Geraldine Ennis, Regional Director WA Country Health Service – Goldfields. ‘They cater for families to stay overnight and share meals whilst the health service staff can provide end of life care, respite and symptom control.’ Recently the construction of the second main phase of works has been completed. ‘I am pleased to say that construction was completed without any interruption to our 24 hours a day, seven day a week services to the Goldfields community,’
This new building houses a new Emergency Department; High Dependency Unit and Medical Imaging Department. Included are purpose built facilities to deliver fast track services; acute mental health assessments; and isolation rooms for any contaminated or infectious patients. Another of the key improvements will be the creation of a front entry to greatly improve the site presence from Picadilly Street. ‘The single main entrance also provides much improved security for our staff, which was a great priority for the design.’ “This complex infrastructure is essential to provide life-saving treatments for our patients, and together with the new purpose built facilities they will be of enormous benefit to our hospital staff that provides such excellent service to Goldfields people,” she said.
NS Projects’ Team • Stewart Greensmith, Director Key Outcomes • NS Project’s developed a comprehensive Return Brief which highlighted various opportunities in terms of department priorities (where best to spend the budget for the greatest return), necessary bulk services, upgrades to maintain a reasonable risk profile and most importantly the sub staging and decanting opportunities to maintain the smooth running of the hospital during the redevelopment. • The project is delivering a newer, fresher hospital to provide greater amenity and service levels to the area, with Stage 1A handed over, Stage 1B just recently completed and Stage 1C in the design documentation, ready for tender early in 2013. BC NS Projects: (08) 6363 0800, www.nspm.com.au
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 59
RESIDENTIAL
Epic proportions
to three storey architecture IMAGINE STEPPING INTO A HOME THAT RESEMBLES THE QUALITY FINISHES, LUXURY AND WOW FACTOR OF A HIGH END INTERNATIONAL HOTEL. THAT’S THE FINISH PROVIDED BY AWARD WINNING BUILDER BRIAN BURKE HOMES IN THEIR LATEST OFFERING BASED IN WATERMANS BAY. 60 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
THE BUILDERS CHOICE residential
// words rhonda malkin
A majestic three storey home complete with a semi circular pool and spa has been created in Watermans Bay that has to be seen to be believed. As soon as you enter into the property through sliding security gates the incredible scale and elevation of the home becomes evident. A semi circular pool features directly at the front of the home and has been so effortlessly incorporated into the build that the only clue it is a pool is through a small cut out section of glass at the top of the structure. But this is just the beginning of the amazing treatments and style that abounds throughout this extraordinary property. The ceiling and roof has been designed with glamorous curves that help give this home its dramatic appeal. These curves have been repeated in the polished granite cobblestones that are a feature in the washed aggregate driveway that runs down the right hand side of the home directly in front of the spectacular front door and portico. At the end of the driveway is the relaxing sound of a water feature that has been created with three panels of hand made slump glass depicting Broome’s famous Stairway to Heaven. This end of the driveway is also home to an incredible 5m tall piece of artwork that can be viewed from every floor in the house. The artwork has been created as a gigantic gum leaf from aged steel and has a copper patina over the top.
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Three polished stainless steel gum nuts reside on the ground behind two smaller gum leafs of about 1m each. The entire artwork soars all the way to the third floor and is encased on three sides by glazing. The home is another standout project by award winning home builder Brian Burke Homes and according to managing director, Michael Burke, it was a labour of love. “Every home we build is created with the finest materials available and is completed with the highest quality tradesmanship.” “Each of our tradespeople have the utmost respect for the following trades and present to them the best foundation to work from.” And it’s this attention to detail that is so obvious through every section of the home. Another prime example is the incredible front entrance and entry foyer, which acts as the spine of the home. The Western Red Cedar front door has been surrounded by large expanses of glazing to the left and right and all the way up to the third floor ceiling. A marble plinth greets any visitor to the home and has been followed through to cover the entire front entry foyer. You could be excused for thinking this entry foyer had been cut out of a high end hotel in New York but in fact the well-travelled owner of the property has a trained eye for this type of architectural feature. Two grand structural columns dominate at the front of three flights of Iron Bark stairs that wraps around in a curved form to two landings overhead. Mr Burke said the two columns were recycled from old Western Power poles. “We turned them upside down and applied an automotive metallic gloss finish to them.” To the right of the entry foyer is a passageway that leads to the lift and the undercroft ground floor granny flat. The granny flat includes a large bedroom, a walk in robe and an ensuite as well as a living room and full kitchen. The space can be divided into two between the bedroom and the living room with the aid
74 Malaga Drive, Malaga WA 6090 T (08) 9248 8188 F (08) 9248 8588 W doorhardware.com.au The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 61
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of a sliding six- lite door system. A small courtyard is also accessed via this living room through sliding glass doors and provides access to the front driveway and views to the ocean. In fact just about every room in this house affords stunning views to the ocean. To the right of the entry foyer is a large three-car garage, pool equipment storage as well as additional storage space. Ascending the glamorous staircase is a real treat with its soft warm colours and spectacular 9 m long chandelier that hangs from the ceiling of the first floor down to shoulder height of the undercroft entry foyer. The chandelier is made from crystal sourced from Italy and along with spotlights in the floor under the chandelier and above
on the ceiling is up lit from every angle. Mr Burke said when the sun shines in from the north facing stair windows it catches the crystal from different angles and sprays dappled light across the walls to make the space appear as though it has been covered with wallpaper. The landing at the top of the stairs on the ground floor provides access to a television and games room to the right and also to the semi-circular swimming pool and spa. There are uninterrupted views of the ocean through floor to ceiling glazing that provides access to the small patio area, pool and spa. Small pieces of fossilised shell and marine life can be seen throughout the sedimentary sandstone tiles that feature in this space and is a nice link back to the ocean that is only a few metres away. To the left of the first floor landing are three generous sized bedrooms and two ensuite bathrooms. Another amazing piece of artwork hangs suspended in one of the ensuite bathrooms. Taking another flight of stairs to the first floor, the landing reveals an amazing main living space, futuristic bar, main kitchen, scullery and access to more spectacular views of the ocean. The bar is arguably one of the best rooms in the house set far
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www.graniteandstonegallery.com.au 62 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
Unit 1, 14 Hudson St Bayswater WA 6053 (08) 9371 1235 Mobile: 0412 926 887
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enough back to take give intimacy to the space but close enough to take full advantage of the ocean views. The semi-circular structure cantilevers out from the side of the house and provides even further access to the views. This is where the home really comes into its own with mirrored walls that flow from the top of windows, cupboard doors in the kitchen and above the bar to the full height of the 6m ceiling. The mirrored walls reflect every aspect of the top floor including the amazing ocean views and give the effect that the space melts into infinity. The large living room also has access to a large outdoor alfresco area that is complete
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Blue Stone Pools are proud to be the preferred contractor to Brian Burke Homes. Blue Stone Pools recently won International GOLD in the 2012 GAVA awards held in Las Vegas for this Brian Burke Homes pool. The image of that pool (inset photo) was also the overall GOLD winner and now graces the cover of the Internationally renowned GAVA magazine.
Unit 3, 36 Enterprise Crescent, Malaga WA T: 08 9249 6649 I M: 0414 630 829 E: grant@bluestonepools.com.au
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For more information, contact the EnviroPlumb team on:
E: envirowa@bigpond.net.au M: 0427 954 488 F: (08) 92851724
www.enviroplumb.com.au The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 63
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with a barbecue and oversized timber handrail that sits above a frameless glass balustrade. At the other end of the top floor sits the master bedroom and ensuite and everything about this space exudes glamour, comfort and high end living. The gigantic master bedroom takes in breathtaking views of the ocean via two full walls of floor to ceiling glazing. Access to the master bathroom reveals a marble spa that is encased in glazing that provides even more uninterrupted ocean views as well as complete privacy. Mr Burke said the home was designed to provide its owner with complete privacy as well as being entirely open to the views from the inside. At the rear of the home sits yet another large alfresco area that has been finished with an external grade ply for the ceiling. This feature has been repeated throughout each outdoor area. With its striking textured render external finish and elevation and incredible craftsmanship, this home is set to be a talking point for many years to come. BC Brian Burke Homes: (08) 9387 7333, www.brianburkehomes.com.au
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64 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
COMMERCIAL
Integrating cultural awareness into traditional facilities // words pritchard francis pty ltd
Hidden away from the Derby Highway in native Kimberley bushland and just 7km from the town centre stands the newly completed West Kimberley Regional Prison. It represents a landmark facility in Western Australia’s correctional system with design, construction and ultimately management incorporating traditional values of indigenous communities throughout the Kimberley. Consulting Engineers Pritchard Francis Pty Ltd, played an important role in the design and construction of the $150 million dollar facility taking responsibility for all civil and structural components in a consulting team lead by TAG Architects in association with Iredale Pedersen Hook Architects (IPH). The scope of the project included 55 buildings, including 22 housing units ranging from low to maximum security and separate male
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and female areas within a 16 ha site. In addition to the housing units were 23 facilities buildings including gatehouse, medical centre, kitchen/laundry, court, education, family visits facilities, spiritual centre, gymnasium and mechanical workshops. The secure area is surrounded by 1.6 km of prime barrier perimeter fence with similar length electrified and courtesy fences which include both in ground and above ground security technology as an integrated part of the design. The project also contained significant amounts of civil works incorporating extensive earthworks, roadwork and storm water infrastructure across the site. Pritchard Francis commenced design in 2008 with the site location presenting many engineering challenges. One of which was the collapsible potential of the native pindan soils. Pritchard
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Architects in Association: TAG Architects Iredale Pedersen Hook Architects
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Francis worked closely with the Geotechnical Consultant to decrease the amount of ground improvement needed through efficient earthwork, footing and pavement design, effectively reducing the overall construction cost and providing a saving to the Client. Being situated in the Kimberley, cyclonic wind loading governed the building design. This was balanced with the cost of materials and labour in the remote community to produce an efficient design. Concrete slabs on ground with a monolithic slab thickening at column locations and perimeter edge beams were used to ensure building pads were raised above existing ground levels to not only stop termite ingress but also provide flood separation. Lipped concrete footings were used on external pad footings to engage soil for uplift in cyclonic events, reducing the volume of concrete. External walls were structural steel braced frames with infill stud wall panels. The buildings were designed as a sealed envelope. This enabled nominal framing for internal walls and ceilings as the external ‘shell’ was designed to resist cyclonic wind forces and debris impact eliminating internal pressures. As the external cladding acts as a reinforced ‘shell’ all claddings were impact tested and rated, increasing the overall durability requirements of the prison. The infill stud walls (internal and external) were prefabricated in Perth then fixed onsite to the steel frames. This increased the speed of construction and reduced waste and onsite labour costs. Roof steelwork was designed to achieve a ribbon effect with multiple folds and steps within the roof profile. The design incorporated simply supported purlins spanning between rafters, all within the same plane. Soffits were directly fixed to the underside of purlins to minimise roof structure depth and secondary framing.
66 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
Fencing to the site was significant in its own right with the 1.6km prime barrier fence consisting of a 5.6m high cantilever with a 1.0m diameter cowl on top as an anti-climb device, eliminating the traditional razor wire. The fence was clad with anti-climb cyclone rated security mesh however it is essentially transparent. This presented a considerable challenge ensuring mesh spans, column and foundations including the 1,890 piles were optimised to ensure the most cost effective but robust design was adopted. Construction tolerances were required to be within millimetres. Civil infrastructure for the 16ha site was designed to integrate the housing units with the central sports oval and the native Kimberley “Pindan woodland”, an important cultural design aspect for the client. There was also a strong focus on native vegetation to stabilise stormwater swales providing routes for cyclonic rainfall via overland flow to the perimeter security system which then moved through stormwater pipes and away from the site. In line with Australian Rainfall and Runoff, housing slabs were given separation from a 100 year flood event. Wherever possible, local materials were sourced for the construction of the 4.2km access road and associated car parking. This included conditioning local pindan material for use as sub-base and re-opening a local gravel pit for road base material. Utilising local contracting expertise was equally important to understand the local constraints to produce an efficient constructible design satisfying the project brief. Seasonal weather patterns along with a long design process meant a forward works package was undertaken to complete bulk earthworks and lay primary service infrastructure. This period from mid to late 2009 highlighted the risk when working in the Kimberley environment with two cyclonic events affecting the site early in the wet season accounting for the majority of their seasonal rain. Pritchard Francis worked
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with the forward works Contractor to provide cost efficient temporary stabilisation options to limit damage to the site from considerable construction traffic, strong wind and heavy rainfall. Ultimately runoff was directed via kerbed inlets to stone pitched swale chutes to protect earthwork banks and move water into swales on the perimeter of the site. These swales then moved water through forty diameter 225mm pipes conveying water outside the perimeter to detention basins on the western side of the site. Diameter 225mm was the largest pipe allowed to penetrate the secure perimeter for security reasons. Forward works was followed by a main construction package from early 2010 to late 2012 for the construction of the building infrastructure, landscaping, fences, car parking and fit out. During this time Pritchard Francis opened a regional office in Broome. This enabled Pritchard Francis to provide the Department of Corrective Services and project architects with the high level of service needed to supervise these detailed works by maintaining a high level of inspection. The West Kimberley Regional Prison is a proud accomplishment for Pritchard Francis and has been fundamental in increasing their impressive portfolio of projects in the North West of Western Australia. With local representation in Broome and projects currently underway throughout the Kimberley, Pilbara and Gascoyne regions, Pritchard Francis is continuing its high level of service to projects through all of Western Australia. BC Pritchard Francis: (08) 9382 5111, www.pfeng.com.au Cooper & Oxley: (08) 9387 9000, www.cooperoxley.com.au TAG Architects: (08) 9227 0511 IPH Architects: (08) 9322 8552, www iredalepedersenhook.com
MUCHEA LIVESTOCK CENTRE, BULLSBROOK, WA
58,000m2 of continuous metal deck roofing
Nationwide Roofing is one of WA’s largest metal roofing contractors. Previous contracts include: Hedland Regional Resource Centre, Fitzroy Valley Learning Centre, Broome Hospital, Northbridge Police Station, Stirling Shire, Hollywood Hospital, Cancer Centre, QEII Pathwest Lab, Broome Shopping Centre, WAIMR, Kwinana Senior High School, Mandurah, Leda and Wellard Train Stations, Mercedes College, Motorola Building UWA, Perth Arena & Derby Prison. Upcoming contracts include: Perth Rectangular Stadium – BGC Construction T1 Perth International Airport – Broad Construction
Tel: (08) 9245 6700 Fax: (08) 9245 6711 Suite 5, 166 Brighton Rd, Scarborough WA 6019
E: info@nationwideroofing.com.au The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 67
RESIDENTIAL
Urban living with a
touch of glamour // words rhonda malkin
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Set on a quiet street in Como are two standout homes that have been built to reflect the best in modern features and are prime examples of how to bring natural light and stunning views into a build. Standing side by side on Morrison Street, the two individually designed homes showcase some of the most current housing trends on the market today. The two storey home at 9A Morrison Street, called Villa Milan, includes a striking and modern boxed arrangement on the second floor that has been clad with a commercial look Alucobond. Next to this urban style feature is a
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68 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
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balcony that services as an upstairs alfresco area that is complete with a stainless steel balustrade. The use of mustard, light grey and dark grey contrasting colours on the walls of the façade helps tie all of the modern elements together. Overhead in the main entry foyer is an extension of the external urban arrangement and reflects the intention of the designer of the home, Averna Homes general manager, Paul Spatara to bring outside elements into the living spaces. The mustard colours of the façade have also been brought through into one of the entry foyer walls while the opposite wall has been finished in a dark mottled charcoal plaster finish. A luxurious and ultra modern open tread staircase with floating Marri treads and concealed fixings gives the illusion that the steps are actually sitting in the wall. The entry foyer plays a pivotal role in the open plan design of
the home as well as acting as a gateway for natural light. Floor to ceiling glazing has been fitted next to the front entry door and allows views from inside the home out to the streetscape as well as bringing in an abundance of light. At the foot of the staircase is more floor to ceiling glazing along with a glass door that allows in ample light, stunning views across to Perth’s cityscape and access to a small courtyard space beyond. Two sets of steps lead down from the entry foyer into a very large kitchen, dining and living area. A very large concealed pivot door hides the entry into the master bedroom, which includes a substantial parents retreat and walk through robe that provides access to a stunning master ensuite. Black gloss vinyl wrap laminate has been used for the cabinetry in the ensuite and is complemented by a unique stone countertop.
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2 Minden Rise Sorrento WA 6020 Email: sbconcrete@tpg.com.au
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Specialising in Metal Deck Roofing
Porcelain tiles have been utilised for the floors and are continued up the walls to the ceiling. The ensuite has also been fitted with a mirrored wall and a series of up lights to create a very glamorous and luxurious space that is tucked away from the main living sections of the home. Despite the fact that the home was designed for a narrow lot, it still exudes space and comfort. This is no more evident than in the living and dining area at the rear of the home, which feels very large and roomy. The kitchen area has been fitted out with an abundance of modern conveniences and is a very comfortable space. Complete with a substantial black granite kitchen island countertop that has been cantilevered on one end to offer additional seating space and flexibility, the kitchen also includes an additional bar area that takes in the views of the alfresco area. Mr Spatara said the extra bar area offered additional flexibility in the kitchen as well as access to some lovely views of the outdoor spaces. “You can have your coffee and read the paper in the morning and look out onto the pond…it’s basically a café concept,” Mr Spatara said. The upstairs sections feature a large entertainment zone that links out to a large balcony alfresco. Three of the four bedrooms are also located upstairs along with a large bathroom, linen store, ensuite and powder room. Next door at 9B Morrison Street lays the second instalment of this project and reflects a more contemporary and slightly traditional design. The home is also two storeys and double brick but incorporates an elaborate wall of Toodyay stone that continues from the outside wall in the porch through to the
Ph: 9351 3400
276 Bagot Road, Subiaco WA 6008 Mobile: 0419 941 423 • Office: 9361 6530 Fax: 9361 6537 • Email: redtag@westnet.com.au
70 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
THE BUILDERS CHOICE residential
...both of the homes complement each other with attention to detail and luxurious appointments and material finishes that will provide inspiration for their new owners.
inside of the entry foyer. The natural warmth of the stone is perfectly matched with the Western Red Cedar used for the front door, the garage door and the frame of double balcony doors on the second floor. Inside the entry foyer is another stunning staircase and concealed door that hides a large theatre room. A guest bedroom adjoins the theatre room on the lower floor and includes a guest ensuite and access to a powder room. The entry foyer in this home also includes floor to ceiling glazing and timber cladding on the walls that form a curved wall, which gently invites any visitor to the living area. The spacious, open plan downstairs living space has direct access to a large rear alfresco area that includes a generous bar and barbecue area, where the warmth of Western Red Cedar has been used to full effect with framed bi-fold windows and the alfresco ceiling. The substantial kitchen area, which is situated to the left of the living area, includes a very unique marble stone that has a rippled marble veined effect through it.
Located behind the kitchen is a scullery and laundry. Upstairs a landing at the top of the staircase into a sitting area and a long passageway acts as a spine to three bedrooms. The master bedroom is also located on this floor and takes in some lovely views from a balcony. There is also a master ensuite complete with a freestanding bath and gloss white vinyl wrap cabinetry that is surrounded by feature timber veneer. In addition, the ensuite includes a stunning long marble countertop, under slung basins, floating mirror, hobless shower and floor to ceiling wall tiles. The balcony includes a brick rendered balustrade with a feature oval stainless steel handrail finished with square powder coated horizontal bars. Overall both of the homes complement each other with attention to detail and luxurious appointments and material finishes that will provide inspiration for their new owners. BC Averna Homes: (08) 9373 3999, www.avernahomes.com.au
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www.completeairsystems.com.au The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 71
COMMERCIAL
THE BUILDERS CHOICE residential
Wrapped in copper
look cladding // words rhonda malkin
...one building stands out above all the rest due to its size, high position and stunning copper and silver coloured aluminium cladding.
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Anyone driving along the recently opened section of Ocean Reef Road in Wangara will come across a sea of new warehouses and commercial businesses but one building stands out above all the rest due to its size, high position and stunning copper and silver coloured aluminium cladding. The new Ertech building is certainly a landmark facility and will service the needs of the civil construction company as its Australian headquarters for all of its operations and administrative functions for many years to come. With more than 50 years in the construction industry, builders of the project McLeish & Matthews were well placed to deliver the standout workshop and office complex. McLeish & Matthews general manager, Gavin McLeish said the project involved developing two buildings; building A, which has two floors of administration and a large workshop area while building B includes a basement and two floors of office and administration. “The offices of building A fronts onto Ocean Reef Road while the workshop fronts onto competition loop and back into service areas between the two buildings,” Mr McLeish said. McLeish & Matthews has created a practical and functional facility for Ertech to operate its civil construction services from. These services include building road works, structural concrete, piping, sub division, landscaping and earth moving amongst other services across Australia. Occupying a land space of more than 13,000sqm, the facility was constructed predominantly with steel and concrete while 23 external columns have been extensively clad with copper coloured Ultrabond. The front façade of building A has four columns which are copper clad to a height of 6.5m while building B has 18 copper clad columns, which range in height from 6.5m to 9.5m and wraps around the buildings façade. Mr McLeish said between the two hard stand areas inside the facility there was also an existing adjacent premises. “Between the existing premises and this new large amalgamated development they store and maintain a significant amount of machinery and equipment,” he said. Visitor parking has been established in front of a main reception area and all truck movements are achieved through a security, gated area from
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the yard office into a large drive-in, drive-out hardstand system. There are two floors measuring 1600sqm each and a basement of a similar size, which brings the total floor space of building B to 4800sqm. Building A incorporates two floors of office of 320sqm each and a workshop of 2300sqm, which also serves the ground floor for both building A and B. “There is about 9,000sqm of hardstand located between the two buildings, which is used for storing Ertech’s materials and equipment, and to drop off capital equipment for washing, servicing and quarantining before they go out to the next project,” he said. The hardstand is intrinsically linked to the large workshop area that forms part of building A. The workshop space has been specifically designed to service the needs of Ertech and the massive volume of large mining equipment and machinery. Operating as an evaporative cooled and temperature controlled venue, the 2,300sqm workshop is the heart of Ertech’s operations. With six large roller shutters that measure seven metres in height and width, one entire side can be completely opened for access. “The roller shutters open up onto the service yard so you can envisage the interface onto the hardstand areas…its pretty much an open sided building and that works perfectly for all of their mechanical servicing operations.” Kone Gantry cranes run overhead at a height of 10m to help service the machinery. The workshop includes maintenance bays, a boilermaker bay, covered storage space and a large wash down bay. The truck washing facilities are attached to a water reuse system that is topped up from a bore and circulated through a water filtration system to keep the facility as energy efficient as possible. Industrial, heavy duty, reinforced concrete floors have been installed with a hardening sealant over the top.
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The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 73
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Staff can access the basement car park of building B that accommodates 50 cars via the main entrance off Motivation Drive while a secondary exit is available off Competition Loop. Internally, the office components of the project include a selection of lunch rooms, amenities consisting of 40 toilets, bathroom areas, computer areas and server rooms and Ertech will eventually establish its own meeting rooms. On the ground floor there is a reception area, a lift shaft, a computer cad room, a large lunch room and training area where staff can break out into a courtyard for functions. There is a duplicate of this arrangement on the upper floors with another computer cad room, executive offices and server rooms, and lunch and training facilities. Mr McLeish said the offices were essentially designed to be open plan design for both buildings with minimal partitions planned.
He said he was very pleased with the final outcome of the building. “The contract period was 52 weeks for both buildings and we handed over building A six weeks early and building B was completed on time,” he said. “A lot of work and design has gone into it and they have ended up with a fabulous looking standout project that we are very proud to be a part of. “We note and appreciate the effort of the architect of the project, Phil Meynert for the solid structural design which enabled us to achieve the outstanding result. “The strength of the buildings design and construction is a testament to the solidarity of the builder, McLeish & Matthews and the building occupier, Ertech Holdings. BC McLeish & Matthews: (08) 9356 1200, www.mcleishandmatthews.com.au
Streamline Plumbing hold in high regard the working relationship with both Construction Hydraulic Design Pty Ltd (CHD) and McLeish & Matthews Pty Ltd and are proud to have been involved with this project.
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Unit 3, 31 Oxleigh Drive Malaga WA 6090 T: (08) 9249 4350 F: (08) 9249 4575 Email:info@streamlineplumbing.com.au
47 Holder Way Malaga WA 6090 PO Box 2698 Malaga WA 6944
9249 8899 Commercial Windows, Doors & Shopfront Specialists
74 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
STRONG STRUCTURAL STEEL ELEMENTS, SLEEK LINES AND A MASSIVE STATE-OF-THE-ART BI-FOLD DOOR SYSTEM HAVE HELPED PUSH ALL THE CONSTRUCTION BOUNDARIES ON AN IMPRESSIVE ULTRA-MODERN HELICOPTER HANGAR. // words rocky amatulli // images jonathan trask photography
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Typically, the words ‘helicopter hangar’ conjure up the image of a large tin shed. And typically, that would be accurate. But not so in this case! Builder West-ville Constructions Pty Ltd has set a new standard with their recently completed Jandakot Helicopter Hangar, which is located in the helicopter zone alongside the FESA and RAC hangars at Jandakot Airport in Perth, Western Australia. On approach, it soon becomes very evident that this is not just another hangar – in fact you could easily be forgiven for thinking that it isn’t a hangar at all! Whilst the construction is essentially concrete tilt-up panels and structural steel, West-ville’s hangar (which is set in a predominantly commercial area) looks more like a contemporary two-storey office building that belongs in the CBD or West Perth, than it does a hangar! In fact the only possible give-away (to the modern, clean Ultrapanel and Alucobond cladding and glass façade) that it isn’t an office building, is the wide roller door on one side. Even then, this building would sit
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 75
COMMERCIAL
Industrial functionality without sacrificing construction excellence
THE BUILDERS CHOICE commercial
comfortably in the Herdsman Office Park area, or similar. But the ‘front’ elevation is only the beginning of the ‘excellence in construction’ and ‘overcoming of challenges’ when we consider this building. The real feature of this hangar is the working side of the building – the helicopter access door! Imagine a garage bi-fold door, and then build one which spans 17.5 metres wide and 7.5 metres high – as is the case on the rear elevation of the building. This is what gives this building its functionality and uniqueness. With a motor driving the door mechanism, once open, the massive bi-fold door allows complete uninterrupted access into the hangar without any intruding columns or supports across the opening. Now you are probably starting to get the idea of how challenging this building is to construct, and what West-ville have been able to achieve with its successful completion. The electronically controlled, folding hangar door consists of about 40-45 components which are locked together to form the two large bi-folding door sections. When in the open position, the stacked doors are only around 350mm thick. The doors are supported on guides which are bolted into the concrete tilt-up
NEW HOUSING I COMMERCIAL I GROUP HOUSING
P: 08 9455 6588 F: 08 9455 6788 E: admin@midasplumbing.com.au PL: 5644 GF: 6055 76 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
panels, and counterweights run up and down each side of the opening to counterbalance the weight of the doors. “The door was designed and built in New Zealand, and is only the second of its kind to be used in WA. It had to be shipped over and assembled here, but will service the hangar’s requirements exceptionally well” West-ville Constructions Director, Greg Falek said. The building also incorporates its own built-in, industrial style, gantry crane inside its massive hangar, which aids in lifting. Apart from additional storage area available, the hangar accommodates three helicopters comfortably. Finished in polished concrete, the hangar floor offers minimal cracking and a low maintenance surface for its intended use. Internally, the hangar occupies the majority of the ground floor footprint of the building – with the exception of a ground floor Waiting Lounge. The Waiting Lounge also has a polished concrete floor which is very serviceable, and floor to ceiling windows for natural lighting and connection with outside. It also features a large expanse of bifold doors and glass inserts providing views of the hangar and helicopters. However, again this is not a typical industrial building by any means. A powdercoated staircase leads to the upper floor which comprises an Office, a Boardroom, and a luxury Kitchen and Bathroom. The Kitchen includes a multipurpose oven, dishwasher and fridge. The Bathroom includes a vanity basin, toilet and shower, and features detailed mosaic tiling. Both wet area vanities are finished off in dark timber laminates and contrasting white caesarstone tops. This Kitchen and Bathroom would easily rival the best quality available in any of the best homes or offices in WA. Steel not only features in the structure of the hangar door, building framing and crane, it also becomes an architectural element in the Boardroom windows, adding interest and detail. Here the supporting steelwork is left visible inside the Boardroom, and again provides a contemporary reminder of the level of detail and calibre of construction required on this project. Overall, the project requires attention on two levels; one
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The dramatic and modern street façade is complemented by curtain wall glazing, sun shading, louvres and composite aluminium cladding systems. being the enormity of the construction in terms of size and scale, particularly the assembly and installation of the massive operable bi-folding hangar door – with the other level being the detail required by the finishing trades (painting, tiling, cabinetwork, etc.) which often lack the necessary attention and let a project down! This project is outstanding in many ways, and it has already earned a Master Painters Australia Award for Excellence. Again this is a testament to West-ville’s values - Construction Excellence through the use of Quality Trades, Superior Project Management, and Personal Service. As a family owned company with over 40 years experience, West-ville have successfully delivered many boutique residential and commercial projects for their clients. Their extensive experience in office, retail, industrial and commercial projects set them aside from many builders who simply specialise in one area and cannot combine skills from all facets of construction to maintain their construction excellence! West-Ville Constructions Pty Ltd offers either a Design and Construct service or Construction only. Company Director, Greg Falek, can be contacted by telephone on (08) 9240 1001 or email info@westvilleconstructions.com.au BC
P: 9240 5222 F: 9240 5300 2/146 Balcatta Rd Balcatta WA 6021
West-Ville Constructions Pty Ltd: (08) 9240 1001, www.westvilleconstructions.com.au Meyer Shircore & Associates: (08) 9381 8511, www.meyershircore.com.au
T (08) 9302 3355 www.anvilindustrialdoors.com.au
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 77
COMMERCIAL
Seven storeys of home
building power // words rhonda malkin
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The Homebuyers Centre now has a new home within an impressive seven-level tower that soars above many other complexes in Osborne Park. As the commercial construction arm of the ABN Group, Pact Construction was engaged to design and construct the office development to accommodate the office operations of the ABN Groups Homebuyers Centre. The building, which was constructed on a 2060sqm site in the Herdsman Business Park, comprises ground floor undercover on-grade parking together with a small office tenancy, lobbies, fire tanks, pump room, transformer room and storage. Above this are the first and second floors, which consist of suspended concrete car park levels together with additional storage and end of trip facilities for office staff. These two elevated car park levels are located below four levels of offices that make up the total seven stories. The dramatic and modern street façade is complemented by
The dramatic and modern street façade is complemented by curtain wall glazing, sun shading, louvres and composite aluminium cladding systems.
curtain wall glazing, sun shading, louvres and composite aluminium cladding systems. Works began in February 2011 on the green-field site in Walters Drive. The use of the adjacent vacant block provided the PACT Construction team with good access and circulation, enabling them to cost-effectively construct a composite precast and concrete framed in-situ structure. It was identified very early in construction that maximum cost effectiveness could be achieved through developing the office fit-out in parallel with the delivery of base building works. Therefore once the generic aspects of the base building (floor plates, services, grid lighting, ceiling etc) had been completed, the remaining project fit out was then integrated with the tenants’ footprint, including meeting rooms, staff hubs and overall office requirements. PACT Construction general manager, Jason Kunkler said this tandem approach required meticulous planning between subcontractors and the PACT Construction team as it was often necessary to design and construct as the project went along. “With projects like this one here where there is an integrated fit out it means we are delivering the fit out in parallel with the base building works,” Mr Kunkler said. “It’s getting fit out and service contractors to work in parallel with the base building structure so that was one of the decisions that we made late in 2011, which impacted on the delivery of the building earlier this year.” In addition, the building company also created three levels of car park with 150 car parking bays spread out over those three levels. The ground floor office area and lobby space takes up about 200sqm while the residual 1200sqm footprint
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of the ground floor area is taken up with parking. Mr Kunkler said the company built seven stories based on a combination of a number of factors. “Firstly we wanted to maximise the available plot ratio on the site,” he said. When we contemplated building in the first place we could have built something much smaller but we wouldn’t have maximised the return on the land available to us. “One of the real motivators behind the seven story build was the local council was going through a change of use of land in that area pending a major structure plan that they were putting together for the Herdsman Business Park area… we had a unique window of opportunity where we could develop a building of that scale that met the planning criteria but we only had a small window of opportunity to get the approval through. “There are a few buildings of the same scale on Walters Drive and the structure plan for that area is going to support that sort of mid-rise development in the future.” On each floor there are various departments within the
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Homebuyers Centre including large staff hub areas, interview rooms, selection areas, a staff gym area, administration and end of trip facilities with male and female showers and toilet areas. On level five operational staff that are required to deliver the Homebuyers Centre homes is located. These include an accounting team, construction staff, design and drafting, scheduling and estimating staff. Level six provides space for general and senior management as well as a function and meeting area that doubles as a board room and breakout area for staff. There is one large 110sqm balcony on the top floor that opens up with the use of operable glazed bi-fold glass doors into the board room and staff hub areas. A frameless glass balustrade enables quick access to some lovely views and has a nice interface with the outside area. The floors have been created using a BubbleDeck floor system that is quick and light weight in comparison to a normal concrete floor. The walls of the structure were created using a precast concrete walling system on predominantly two sides with elements of that on both the front and rear façade but to a lesser extent. Front and rear facades incorporate heavy elements of glazing, Alpolic structural steel and red coloured louvre systems, which lets in natural light and sun shading to the east facing elevation. Dark louvred horizontal elements run floor to floor and also act as shading elements constructed from structural steel. Internally, the tower floors have been predominantly covered in a polished and honed tile that is fully rectified. Floor to ceiling glazing has also been used extensively within office and meeting spaces to create a feeling of space and modern, clean lines. BC Pact Construction: (08) 93405900, www.pactconstruction.com.au Meyer Shircore & Associates: (08) 9381 8511, www.meyershircore.com.au
RESIDENTIAL
Integrity captures the view on seaside subdivisions A CLEVERLY DESIGNED TRIPLEX TOWNHOUSE DEVELOPMENT IS IN KEEPING WITH THE LOCAL AREA HAS A VERY INDIVIDUAL FEEL AND TAKES ADVANTAGE OF STREET AND LANEWAY FRONTAGES. // words rhonda malkin // images stephen nicholls photographer
...a triplex townhouse development that cleverly manages to be in keeping with the local area while also having a very individual feel.
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Building a new home on a subdivided block is never without its challenges, but when the task at hand is building three properties on one new subdivision, a certain level of creativity is required. For Integrity Developments however, it was all in a day’s work. As Integrity director Kevin Ledger explained, the client’s brief for the 693sqm block on Gildercliffe St in Scarborough, which is fortunate to have both street and rear laneway access, was simple. “The client really wanted to maximise the two street frontages and views whilst creating three low-maintenance properties.” The design brief was to produce a cost-effective, elegant, individual development that appealed to a broad range of buyers. With this in mind, Integrity came up with a triplex townhouse development that cleverly manages to be in keeping with the local area while also having a very individual feel. Importantly, the development at Gildercliffe St has been orientated to utilise both the street and laneway frontages, ensuring that each townhouse has its own driveway and its own unique view. The three townhouses have also been designed to maximise the north light entering. “The development has been built to maximise frontages,” Mr Ledger said. “Each of the two-storey units is a different design to take advantage of the views. “Unit One, which is 234sqm, sits on Gildercliffe St. It faces east
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to the hills and has its balcony at the front. Unit Two, which is 198sqm, sits in the middle and has a balcony for ocean views. Unit Three, which is 224sqm, sits on the rear laneway; it also has a balcony facing west towards the ocean, with sunset views to die for.” While the three bedroom, 2.5 bathroom townhouses have the same high level of finish, each has a slightly different floor plan. Units one and three have the kitchen on the ground floor and bedrooms on the first floor, while Unit two flips this layout, having the kitchen, living area, utility and main bedroom on the first floor and the two smaller bedrooms below. All three townhouses benefit from light, bright, open-plan living areas, with a deluxe kitchen facing the dining and living room and opening out on to the paved alfresco area. Units one and three feature Blackbutt timber flooring in the main living areas, while Unit two has 400mm by 400mm ceramic floor tiles. It’s the kitchen that really shines in these townhouses, with 900mm wide Delonghi under-bench electric ovens, canopy range hoods and dishwashers taking a starring role. The bench tops are 30mm engineered stone, the cupboards (of which there are plenty) are vinyl wrap and the splash back is a stylish glass finish. A double under-mounted sink completes the sleek look. While the floor plans may differ, each of the townhouses has
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82 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
a similar façade to give the development coherency. Rendered façades and Colorbond roofing create a stylish, modern frontage, while the portico adds an air of grandeur. Each of the townhouses also benefit from a security system, 12.5Kw ducted, reverse-cycle air-conditioning and large garages with extra storage space built in. A second subdivision on Flamborough St in Doubleview threw up a new set of challenges for Integrity. “The client had a large, 645sqm block and an existing house at the front of the property,” Mr Ledger said. “This property was subdivided, enabling the client to retain their existing residence whilst building a second home to be sold, creating added financial gain for the client.” Like the townhouses on Gildercliffe St, the subdivided block on Flamborough St was also fortunate enough to have rear-lane access. As such, the new property was designed to face on to the laneway. “The property has been designed to take advantage of the frontage on to the right-of-way,” Mr Ledger said. “It has quite a grand frontage with the rendered façade and Colorbond roof.” The layout of the two-storey home has been specifically designed to appeal to a broad cross-section of people. The ground floor comprises the study, laundry, powder room and large, open-plan kitchen, meals and family area, leading out on to a generous alfresco. An eye-catching, porcelain tiled staircase with frameless glass balustrade and aluminium handrail leads up to three double-sized bedrooms, one with an en suite, as well as the family bathroom, second living area and two large balconies with frameless glass balustrades.
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“The house has inland views, so we have maximised this aspect by creating a big balcony from the activity room and main bedroom,” Mr Ledger said. According to Mr Ledger, a flexible floor plan on the ground floor gives the home versatility. “A lot of older couples do look for a bedroom on the ground floor, so if you wanted to make the front lounge into a bedroom it would be very simple to do so.” The Flamborough St property is finished to an extremely high specification, with polished 600mm by 600mm porcelain floor tiles through all the main living areas and 300mm by 300mm tiles in the wet areas. Like the rest of the home, the spacious and contemporary kitchen is finished to a high standard, with 30mm QSTONE bench tops, Createc Gloss cupboard doors and modern T-Bar handles. Creating a focal point is the kitchen splash back created from 300mm by 600mm rectified porcelain tiles. As at the Gildercliffe properties, the kitchen on Flamborough St features a 900mm-wide Delonghi stainless steel electric under-bench oven, gas hotplate and wok burner, slide-out range hood and dishwasher. The two bathrooms and powder room are of a similar standard. The ensuite boasts 30mm stone bench tops while the second bathroom has laminated, square, post-formed bench tops. Both bathrooms feature Createc gloss cupboard doors and T-bar handles. Integrity’s trademark and one of the defining features on all its recent developments is the large garage with extra storage space that it includes as standard. “We always create added storage space in the garage because there’s never enough storage space in the house for most people,” Mr Ledger said. “We make sure, when we build, that we always have that added storage space in the garage.” According to Mr Ledger, all four properties have enabled the clients to capitalise and maximise their return on profit. “We at Integrity used our knowledge and expertise to subdivide the existing blocks and design and build modern family homes whilst maintaining the clients’ vision and budget,” he said. BC Integrity Developments: 9202 6880, www.integritybuilders.com.au
“Bringing modern architectural concepts to life in prestigious buildings and commercial projects.”
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COMMERCIAL
Elective surgery gets refreshed at Fremantle Hospital // words rhonda malkin
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A substantial refurbishment of the heritage listed Fremantle Hospital has recently been completed that will provide renewed health services for the local population. The work involved refurbishing and improving the hospitals Cardiac Care Unit (CCU), the Endoscopy Unit and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to a modern standard. It’s all part of the State Governments commitment to maintaining hospital services that will complement the new Fiona Stanley Hospital. Architects for the Fremantle Hospital refurbishment, Oldfield Knott Architects have improved the flow of the existing floor plans and established very user friendly work and patient spaces. Oldfield Knott Architects, senior architect Michael West said the work in the three units would rejuvenate the existing services at the 150 year old hospital. “We stripped out all three existing wards and were amazed at the things we found and the work that needed to be done to bring everything up to code,” Upgrading the CCU involved gutting the entire space and working with some considerable constraints like building above an operating MRI machine. “There were specific constraints we had to follow as you can’t have any moving metal objects anywhere in the vicinity so when the builder used their equipment in the room above we had to be careful not to affect the image in the MRI,” he said. Another constraint during construction of the CCU was the floor below was in use at the time the floor serving as a children’s ward. The hospital continued that service during the project even when the builder was penetrating holes through the ceiling below for plumbing. Mr West said the refurbishment of the 1500sqm CCU space involved
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It’s all part of the State Governments commitment to maintaining hospital services that will complement the new Fiona Stanley Hospital.
creating a facility that would service the needs of heart patients. “There are 12 beds in the critical care unit, which includes four isolation rooms for patients under stress or requiring critical care whilst allowing more privacy. “A patient will go into theatre, will have the procedure like a heart transplant and go to recovery in the ICU or critical care unit and then once they have recovered they come to the CCU for further recovery before being moved back to a ward. The facility also includes a nurse’s station and a rest area for staff as well as areas for doctors, a staff lounge, a store room, a clean and dirty utility, a pantry and offices for the unit nurse manager. Refurbishment of the ICU involved changing the layout of the 2000sqm space to incorporate a reception area. There are three lifts that give access to a reception area while a relative waiting area provides space for relatives of patients to wait for their loved ones preparing for surgery. Access to the main section of the ICU is restricted from this section to provide a secured area for patients in a critical condition. The ICU incorporates 19 beds and a separate room at the other end of the unit that is also used as a grieving room. If someone is not expected to recover then they would be put in that room on the basis that if they did pass away the family could close off the door and have the privacy they need. The main nursing stations have enclosed glass to maintain privacy within the station and ensure patients do not overhear conversations being made by health professionals. Existing staff toilets have also been upgraded to cater for the large population of female nurses and are complemented by a change room and lockers. All the existing external fabric of the building was reused with some windows partially altered internally to accommodate services ductwork. Oldfield Knott Architects designed all of the bed heads in conjunction with the hospital to determine the number of fixtures and fittings required.
“The bed recesses under the bed head, which has a duct on it for a range of medical requirements like medical air, suction, oxygen, emergency power, backup power, data, nurse call and staff assistance. The final ward to be refurbished was the endoscopy ward, which according to Mr West was very dated. “The procedural rooms were old, they didn’t have the right lead lining for the rooms or appropriate recovery areas and staff facilities weren’t good.” “We improved the flow of the floor plan by putting a clean up room between the two procedure rooms whereas it was originally in the centre of the department.” “What we tried to do is separate patients and staff from equipment…so you try and get a flow where the patient comes in, goes to recovery, has their procedure and goes out again almost like a circuit. He said staff originally had to cross a corridor full of equipment to gain access into procedure rooms but the new layout enabled direct access. Three lifts feed into an upgraded reception area that has been finished in a dark colour scheme, which was selected in conjunction with staff working in the area. “The staff indicated they would like a point of difference in the reception area that was different to the standard off white colour scheme normally used in hospitals,” he said. Air flow within the procedure rooms has been specifically designed with the air flowing onto a patient and drawn away immediately leaving no possibility of recirculation, reducing the chance of infection. Each of the three refurbished units has been designed as open plan and will dramatically improve the day surgery options in the lead up to the delivery of the Fiona Stanley Hospital as well as complementing its services for the future. BC Oldfield Knott Architects: (08) 9381 6788, www.oldfieldknott.com.au Robinson Build-Tech: (08) 9223 6100, www.robinsonbuildtech.com.au ISIS: (08) 9226 1433, www.isis.com.au
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 87
MIXED-USE
Apartment tri-fecta hits the North West // words rhonda malkin
APARTMENT TRI-FECTA: (Above) The Harbourside mixed-use development (Right Top) South Hedland mixed-use development – The Junctions (Right Bottom) Munjaree Apartments
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As the mining boom continues to grow in the north of our state, so too is demand increasing for high quality multi-residential homes that offer a lock-up-and leave lifestyle but still have all the creature comforts of home. Multi-disciplinary design firm Hames Sharley is tackling this issue head on with three mixed-use developments in Geraldton, South Hedland and Karratha. Hames Sharley Director, Dean van Niekerk said the practice had been working with developers on the design of numerous multi-residential apartments and mixed use developments with the majority of these being located in the North West regions of Western Australia. “Karratha, South Hedland and Geraldton are places where we have seen spectacular growth in the last couple of years. “The number of people choosing to make these places their home is increasing and with this, is the demand and expectation of being able to own and live in a place that not only looks attractive but also provides a home that comes complete with high quality furnishings and finishes,” Mr van Niekerk said. Construction has commenced on The Baynton West Apartments in Karratha, which is one of the three ventures either currently under construction or set for construction in the North West. The project will eventually become a dedicated apartment complex that will accommodate 82 apartments on a 9,163sqm site. The complex is situated just 6km west of the Karratha town centre in a new development area called Baynton West that has been created in the past two years.
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According to Hames Sharley Associate Director, Gary Mackintosh the complex will be developed into five blocks. “We have tried to be quite repetitious in the layout of the five blocks so we can achieve good economies of scale… we developed four corner blocks, which are exactly the same except they are rotated so you can see different faces as you move around the site. Variations of scale and form were key drivers for the external aesthetic while articulation of courtyards and pergola structures help to break down the scale of the building at footpath level. Colour, texture, low roof forms large eave overhangs, generous balconies, alfresco and terraces allow the building to have a distinctive look that is unique in Karratha. Located on Foreshore Drive and privy to some of the most majestic ocean views in Western Australia, the Harborside Apartments in Geraldton is another complex that will add to the benefits of the Midwest mining boom. Set to incorporate eight floors, including a basement car park, the development will have links to the heritage Geraldton Club, which is located at the rear of the building. Mr Mackintosh said the land size is 620sqm, making it an incredibly small site. “We have used the site to its maximum capacity and also linked it across the existing heritage building so the Geraldton Club can utilise some of the space of the building as a function room,” he said. “The site was originally an underutilised car park and all of that part of the city has a new development policy across it, offering new possibilities to all of the sites along Cathedral Ave and Fitzgerald St, which is really the centre of town. “It gives the opportunity to build much taller buildings and much greater plot ratio on these sites.” The façade will incorporate distinctive artwork as part of the building, which was one of the requirements from the local council. “It was important to bring in a far bit of artwork into this built form especially indigenous works and we took the approach of doing that as part of the building instead of just a superficial statue, which gives the building much more presence. “It will be a mixture of steel work, painted concrete and is in the early days of design.”
The building will incorporate 10 residential apartments, a restaurant, function rooms and commercial offices. There is a mixture of apartment layouts on three floors with three units on each floor and a penthouse that will take up the entire top floor. The mixture of one, two and three bedroom apartments are planned out around a central core and vary from 60sqm to 140sqm while the penthouse will measure about 190sqm, plus a generous 100 sqm balcony/terrace. The timber look roof will line the balcony canopy to provide a warmer feel to the façade. The balconies all look out to stunning 180 degree ocean views and takes in the Marine Parade along the foreshore, which has been significantly developed in the past five years (also designed by Hames Sharley). The final project is a 104 apartment complex called The Junctions in South Hedland. The project will include 17 commercial and retail tenancies on the ground floor, and a bistro. Flowing around the pool area and gym facilities will also be a group of townhouse style apartments. Essentially designed as a horseshoe shape surrounding the street, the project will utilise three floors with a portion that is four stories high at the landmark corner of the site. It will be constructed using precast concrete and final approvals have been achieved by the developer. A heavily landscaped central space will be developed to create an oasis that will be mindful of the difficult climatic conditions of the area and is also conducive to the local environment. There are six distinctly separate buildings within the development with the majority of apartments located on the east, north and west sides to form one connected building fronting the street boundaries and is also split in two at the landmark corner of the site and the townhouse blocks are split into three separate zones. The Junctions will incorporate approximately 100 on-grade parking spaces and there is a stunning louvered roof at the landmark corner, which will create a dappled light effect between the two buildings, as well as provide additional shaded areas and allow a breeze to flow through the complex. BC Hames Sharley: (08) 9381 9877, www.hamessharley.com.au
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 89
RESIDENTIAL
Retirement dream green and sustainable living in Kalbarri // words rhonda malkin // images david pratt – owner/builder
Every possible scrap of building waste has been recycled using GREENSMART principles.
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Over looking the rugged coastline of the famous Kalbarri National Park is a very unique family home that has left no stone unturned in its commitment to be as eco-friendly as possible. This commitment began the moment the first few square metres of soil began to be moved at 47 Darwinia Drive in Kalbarri. In fact every possible scrap of building waste has been recycled using GREENSMART principles. The client worked very closely with the builder of this landmark property, Seascape Designs, which specialises in sustainable projects to achieve a home that will have a very small carbon impact. Seascape Designs director, David Pratt said every effort was made to ensure sustainability was high on the agenda. “The owners have achieved their goal to build a low cost and comfortable home to retire in,” Mr Pratt said. “It will cost almost nothing to run each day and it will be warm in winter and cool in summer. “They have everything they need to live a wonderful green life.” Work began to recycle building waste collected during the build by establishing three separate steel gages. The gages were used to collect every type of waste from hard waste like concrete, bricks and paving off-cuts to roof sheet off cuts, rondo batten off cuts and steel straps. Hard waste was crushed into small pieces and reused in the garden beds and for drainage inside soak wells. All of the steel waste was taken to the local tip and recycled along with any left over cardboard as soon as the building was finished. Timber waste was also recycled back into the building whenever possible and equalled about one wheelbarrow in size with the help of off cuts from the timber frame and roof trusses. Gyprock off cuts were recycled back into the inside of the walls as extra insulation.
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The entire build only required one site bin as a result of these recycling initiatives and Mr Pratt said part of building a green home was using sustainable materials that also had low embodied energy to manufacture and to transport to site. “Plantation blue pine was used in wall frames and roof trusses, which is a renewable and sustainable product and we used a polystyrene cladding throughout the entire home, which has the insulation included in the product. The walls of the home were rendered to give the same look as brick construction but while bricks have an R-value of just 0.4, the polystyrene cladding used in the home has an R-value of 2.4. This combined with external wall insulation and PVC double glazed windows have helped the house achieve its 8.5 star energy rating.
A considerable amount of insulation has also been used in the walls and the ceiling and together with the double glazing means this house is very energy efficient to run and will save the owners money in energy running costs. The owners chose timber ply internal doors to match the bamboo flooring used in the bedrooms and family room and timber capped internal garden box. Cavity sliding doors allow the home to be divided into three distinct zones of kitchen, meals, family, living and bedrooms. This aids in controlling the internal room temperatures depending on external conditions at any given time of the year. Two small grey water units have been fitted to the house to service the front garden from the ensuite while the laundry water is used for the back garden bed. Mr Pratt said the owners
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were also looking to recycle their rainwater. “We had three 7000ltr water tanks buried behind the back retaining wall at the start of construction. “All the rainwater from the roof is fed into the underground water tanks and back into the house. “The toilets, washing machine and outside taps all use recycled rainwater and so far nearly a year later the house hasn’t run out of rain water yet.” Another unique water recycling system was used for recycling all the water normally wasted when turning on a hot water tap. Each time the hot water tap is turned on all the cold water is recycled back into the water tanks. The house is connected to a 3.4 solar photovoltaic system, which generates more power than the house uses and should cover the cost of both land and water rates each year. Feature stone walls have been created internally and externally using
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92 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
locally sourced Tumbalgooda sandstone, which means it has low embodied energy to make and transport almost zero. In order to capitalise on some of the most stellar land and ocean views in the state, the builder utilised a low Colorbond boundary fence and pool fence. The alfresco area was also incorporated into the house design and is well protected from the strong southerly winds that prevail during most parts of the year. The space is complemented by an outdoor kitchen area and barbecue, Ziploc blinds have also been fitted enabling the owners to have the home open or closed but eliminates the presence of bugs, flies and mosquitoes. A stunning water feature with a stacked stone wall completes the relaxed feel of the alfresco area. BC Seascape Designs: (08) 9937 1657, www.seascapedesigns.com
The entire build only required one site bin as a result of these recycling initiatives.
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up close + personal with
david pratt DIRECTOR, SEASCAPE DESIGNS // interviewed by rhonda malkin
How much of a role does sustainability and energy efficiency play in the way you build or approach a project? Depending on whether I get involved with the planning stage, depends on the level of sustainability or energy efficiency in the build. When I help a client design their new home, it starts with passive solar design and sustainable materials to help the home become as energy efficient as possible. Our own projects have been the most exciting, because we have experimented with new sustainable materials and passive solar designs. We pride ourselves on pushing normal building practises and achieving different practices that no one else has tried before. We have been building homes with 7 star energy ratings in the Midwest since 2002 and have even achieved 8.5 and 9 star energy ratings on some of our homes. Before 6 star or even 5 star ratings came into WA we were helping people design energy efficient homes that were warm in winter and cool in summer. I was lucky to have clients who wanted energy efficient and sustainable homes and I believe my 15 years building experience in Victoria working with sustainable materials and local draftsman who designed excellent passive solar designed homes gave me a critical point of difference. What is your career history and what type of trade did you start with? I tried to get an apprenticeship as a carpenter after finishing year 11 but ended up as a structural draftsman studying at RMIT in the late 1970s. I deferred my studies for a year to go work on a fishing boat in Bass Straight and ended up working in the local building trade building holiday homes from the ground up. We did every stage on the home, even bricklaying. The builder we were all working for was one of our mates so we got to work on some fantastic building projects in country Gippsland area. We did a lot of big country homes with a lot of big rustic timbers, which we would cut and rip down on site to make mud bricks and collect local rock to create some unique individual homes. We did modern architectural designs using modern materials like Hebel panels, polystyrene cladding and Blueboard rendered cladding. When I finally became a registered builder in 1988 I had experience in all aspects of building energy efficient homes. Moving to WA in 1993 was like starting my apprenticeship again, learning the different building methods used in this state. But when I finally got back into the energy efficient style homes again it was refreshing to be building something new to WA and with confidence that it works well in any environment. What is the best way of incorporating sustainability features into a build whether it is a new build or a renovation? The best way is from the start, in the planning stage. It is important to understand why choosing sustainable materials or passive solar designs are going to benefit the owners and
their new home or renovation. With a new home it is a lot easier because you can work from ground up in your design before you start building but with renovations you have an existing building, which dictates how much you can do. You are restricted more with a renovation, depending on the buildings existing orientation.
What sorts of methodologies do you utilise during the construction process? We use green methods in our building from start to finish, with waste bins on site to try and recycle as much building waste as possible. We train all our staff and subcontractors to keep our work sites clean and safe and to use recycle bins for all building waste. We educate our tradesman to clean up their daily work area and to think about the next tradesperson on each building site at each stage. Where possible we encourage our staff to help other trades and to operate as a team to achieve a quality finish on each job as though each house was going to be entered in the MBA or HIA awards. It’s important for our company to take pride in our work and each job and to teach each tradesman to strive to improve the quality of finish on each job. We use as many local trades and materials as possible and transport as little material as possible. Creating a home with the smallest carbon footprint and as carbon neutral is critical to us. Educating clients on how to be water wise in the garden and in daily water use in the home will also help reduce costs. What sorts of concerns or requirements are your clients raising in regards to how they want their home built? Our clients are slowly moving towards greener homes or sustainable materials and are a lot more educated or interested in how to make a home green. Outdoor living is becoming very popular in modern designs but as with the whole house the orientation is very important in the position of your outdoor living area. It is important that homes aren’t designed with all the bedrooms on the north side of the house and all the living and outdoor alfresco area on the south side as you need to create outdoor areas that are protected from the harsh summer sun and wind. My dream is to design and build a green estate or even better a complete eco village with different sized lots, acreage, hobby farms, primary producers, agriculture, permaculture gardens, and fruit and vegetable plantations all for self sufficient sustainable living. All homes would be totally self sufficient for water, power and food and include the latest GREENSMART principles, designs and materials. It would be a community that is sustainable into the next century. More and more people are searching for the ultimate sustainable lifestyle in many parts of the world and I think this demand will eventually spread to WA and I would love to be part of that. BC
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 93
COMMERCIAL
Peak real estate institute takes new from old // words rhonda malkin // images cado lee photography
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The new head office for the State’s peak real estate institution is a testament on how to build a large, modern two storey office complex that blends effortlessly with its historical surroundings. Established on the premier streetscape of 215 Hay Street in Subiaco, the office complex now houses the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia (REIWA) and the Institute didn’t have far to relocate with the new office built directly next door to its original premises that serviced the Institute for 30 years. According to Beck Advisory’s founder and director Hamish Beck who advised the REIWA Council to deliver the project, the Institute spent about 18 months determining the best location for its head office before settling on utilising the existing land opportunity in Subiaco. “REIWA already held the parcel of land in Subiaco however we undertook a city-wide selection process with the Institute to work out the most suitable location based on a number of factors and it turned out that Subiaco was the best place particularly with its amenity and public transport.” Mr Beck said the new premises allowed the Institute to consolidate all of its learning and training activities as well as its other functions into one main building. “We sold surplus land to boutique developer Match Group and entered into a sale and lease back of the existing premises, which enabled REIWA to occupy the old premises until the new one was ready…this meant the build was predominantly self-funded.” Beck Advisory acted as client representative on behalf of REIWA and directed and coordinated the overall development alongside architects, Hodge Collard Preston Architects. Beck Advisory specialises in this type of development management services and works with private developers, health agencies and not-for-profit organisations.
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Hodge Collard Preston Architects designed the building with a number of vertical aspects to break up the size of the building and made it completely unobtrusive on the very busy and centrally located Hay Street location. One of these aspects was the application of an Alucobond cladding system on a protruding section of the façade. A lower level Alucobond awning also breaks up the size of the building while small horizontal colour back glass sections offer a subtle hint to REIWA’s corporate colours. Mr Beck said the small glass inserts injected a piece of the REIWA DNA into the structure and provided a connection back to the client. The façade is also north facing and has a very high quality shading co-efficient glass that has very good thermal elements. REIWA is committed to achieve a 4.5 star National Australian Built Environmental Rating System (NABERS) rating which is a very high rating suburban commercial office building. (By way of the NABERS process, the rating is applied and bestowed 12 months after the building is operational.) Mr Beck said REIWA’s entire brief requested the highest levels of construction practices that were available in the industry, particularly in relation to environmental standards. “REIWA had a dedicated property committee that worked with Beck Advisory and was very involved in the whole process from the selection of the architect and builder to all of the environmental aspects,” he said.
The sleek lines of the façade gives way to an ultra modern front entry passage which acts as the spine of the lower floor area. This space incorporates a high level of luxe lighting that makes a dramatic entry statement throughout the ceilings. A substantial amount of natural dark timber finishes have also been fitted as part of the lighting fixtures to create an impressive foyer space. To the left are two lifts and three public toilets and to the right is an office area that will be tenanted in the near future. At the end of the entry foyer passageway is a flight of stairs that provide access to the first floor, which is where the Institute conducts all of the industry training for scores of real estate personnel. The stair case also contributes to the high NABERS rating for the building as it helps reduce reliance on the two lifts. The end of the passageway also provides access to the rear and basement car park via a glass door. Mr Beck said REIWA sought to maximise the number of car park spaces it could build to the highest ratio available within the City of Subiaco. “There are a total of 42 car bays and we have established a laneway that goes right the way under the building from the rear to Hay Street so anyone accessing the laneway can exit straight through to Hay Street,” he said. The boundary of the building was created using an ICW wall system, which gave a less than 75mm clearance from the adjoining neighbour’s boundary. A machine digs and builds a
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wall underground and concrete tilt panel is attached over the top. Although the option to move up to the first floor can be achieved with the stair case, the two lifts also offer the option of accessing the second floor. A soft blue compact glass has been used inside the lifts and on the surrounds of the lift on the first and second floor. The natural dark timbers of the entry foyer have also been used inside the lift and for the reception desks of the first and second floors. As the first floor is devoted to training purposes it has been designed with two very large conference rooms and a refreshment area for meal breaks. Several acoustic panels have been applied to the conference room walls to improve sound attenuation and some of the highest audio visual technology has been installed. One of the two
conference rooms can be split into two sections with the aid of a moveable centre partition wall to provide additional space for times when there are large volumes of classes being undertaken. Executive suites, board rooms and meeting rooms are located on the second floor and also include state-of-the-art audio visual technology. Mr Beck said anyone could walk in with an ipad and connect straight away instead of using a projector and as everything in the room was wireless it had eliminated the need for additional cabling. Glass partition walls define the general office space located behind the reception desk. A staff breakout area is located on both the first and second floors and includes a full kitchen with a fridge, microwave, coffee machines, seating space, floor and overhead cabinetry and a collapsible glass walling system that runs into a vertical corner.
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Ph: (08) 9309 5203 Email: admin@wbelectrics.com.au 96 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
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The new premises allowed the Institute to consolidate all of its learning and training activities as well as its other functions into one main building.
The walling system enables the breakout area to be opened up completely on one side or closed to make it a more defined space. Each floor enjoys extensive views over Hay Street and Churchill Avenue to the rear. Beck Advisory was founded in 2000 and provides asset management, property funds management and development management advisory to various developers, property funds, and not-for-profit agencies. Beck Advisory clients range from institutional clients through to not-for-profit groups who require strategic asset management and development advisory. BC Beck Advisory: (08) 9324 3636, beckadvisory.com.au Hodge Collard Preston Architects: (08) 9322 5144, www.hodgecollardpreston.com REIWA: (08) 9380 8222, www.reiwa.com.au
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COMMERCIAL
Boost for drug and alcohol rehabiliation // words rhonda malkin
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A drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility in Midland has received a boost to its vital services after moving into a renovated warehouse that was custom designed for the specific needs of the agency. Holyoake is a leading drug and alcohol rehabilitation and counselling service organisation in Western Australia and assists more than 4,000 people a year by providing counselling and practical assist programs to address peoples’ alcohol and drug abuse issues. Architects for the project, Oldfield Knott Architects provided its architectural and interior design services pro-bono for this refurbishment to assist the agency extend its services to the community. Oldfield Knott Architects project architect, Roger Gregson said the refurbishment occurred within an old two storey electrical contractor’s warehouse and retail building, which occupied one lot. The adjoining lot had an old timber framed cottage that was re-erected many years ago and was cleared to provide car parking spaces to support the proposed office use. He said elderly neighbours advised the firm that many of the cottages, which were once located in Stafford Street, but now demolished, were brought down from Kalgoorlie on the back of a truck, having been left vacant after the gold rush. “We kept the skeleton of the warehouse because structurally it is very sound and lent itself to punching large holes to create windows in the southern elevation at both levels. “The internal floor slabs required little attention and the face brick facades provided a good substrate to accept the proprietary rendering system needed to create a timeless architectural statement.” The architectural firm was required to undertake a considerable amount of work internally to bring the renovated building up to code compliance in relation to energy and accessibility. “Internally we had to add another 300mm in width to one concrete staircase, demolish another staircase and replace it with an infill slab as
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well as installing a passenger lift, new amenities with ambulatory facilities as part of a code compliant office building.” The single storey retail frontage was elevated to two storeys providing a two storey volume to house a main reception area at ground floor level. The reception is serviced by a secured office facility, with a seated waiting area, passenger lift to the second floor, and a unisex disabled toilet. This arrangement provides an open and transparent public space for clients and their carers to access the facility while enabling staff to comfortably meet and greet visitors, with the additional security of having an office retreat where they can escape should a situation become out of hand. A similar layout is repeated on the first floor where there is another unisex disabled toilet and waiting area that is electronically secured from the balance of the offices within that level of the building. “The visual transparency within both these public spaces is most important as what sometimes happens is that a stressed visitor suddenly feels uncomfortable and they need to get out of the facility quickly.” “So we have designed the centre in such a way that they can exit the facility quickly without feeling as though they are trapped…so the feeling of visual permeability is very important.” From the end of the reception area on both floors the building is electronically secured. Mr Gregson said both the ground floor and first floor offices also had extensive glazed office partitioning enabling maximum daylight penetration throughout, while applied opaque window systems to interview rooms and offices provided visual privacy for both visitors and staff while maintaining a supervised environment for both users. On the lower floor there is a work area, the office manager, a consulting room, a nurse and a doctor should they be required. Upstairs there is a training area, offices, a server/store room, a lunch room with amenities and end of journey facilities, together with respite areas for staff for casework discussions and/or relaxation. Mr Gregson said he was pleased how well the building lent itself to the purposes of the agency. Oldfield Knott Architects also encountered a few problems due to the age of the original building adjoining an old residential property with the rear of the residential property used as landfill. The build-up of soil over the years caused moisture to penetrate the cavity brick walls of the warehouse. Part of the rectification work involved removing the spoil, waterproofing the walls and repairs those areas damaged by water penetration. In the process of removing the soil they encountered buried asbestos materials, which had to be trucked out in an appropriate manner as the build progressed. The entire office area takes up a total of 600sqm of floor space and eight car parking bays have been created for the agency. Builder for the refurbishment, Finlay Group (Australia) utilised
a Lottery West grant to undertake all construction work. Finlay Group (Australia) managing director, Xavier McKeon said aluminium louvers were also added to the façade of the building to improve energy efficiency. He said a comprehensive three coat acrylic textured render was applied over three weeks to the entire brick façade and doubled as a water proofing membrane. Holyoake now occupy the front ground floor area and upstairs office space while a remaining ground floor training room and offices of 216sqm will now be occupied by a Holyoake offshoot organisation known as Drum Beat, which is a program that is used by schools and services working with a broad range of population groups. BC Oldfield Knott Architects: (08) 9381 6788, www.oldfieldknott.com.au Finlay Group (Aust) Pty Ltd: (08) 9470 5377, www.finlaygroup.com.au
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P: (08) 9471 7498 F: (08) 9271 8551 Unit 1/4 White St Bayswater WA 6053 enquiries@deluxecustomcabinets.com.au www.deluxecustomcabinets.com.au The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 99
RESIDENTIAL
Balinese design
for Aubin Grove home // words rhonda malkin // images photography by edward pritchard – copyright ppcm
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A luxurious four bedroom, two storey home has been created in Aubin Grove that takes in some stunning views of Perth’s Hills. The home, called The Delores, was designed by Pace Projects Construction Management (PACE) and incorporates a very spacious parents retreat complete with a master bedroom, study and lounge. PPCM director, Charles Pace said the upstairs space also included a glamorous bathroom with a double head shower system complete with river stones. “I experienced this type of floor in a boutique hotel in Bali…the water runs away through a channel grate that has river stones over the top. “So I designed the floor for the shower area in this home based on that Balinese style. This type of attention to detail permeates throughout the double brick, rendered home, which was designed to be solar passive and energy efficient that maximises airflow through outstanding cross ventilation. The façade of the home incorporates some unusual design concepts including a conventional pitched roof, which is disguised by a trussed elevation. The pitch has been slightly lowered to reduce the amount of unused space that usually exists in conventional pitched roofs. A wide entry passage allows ample space to the front of the home and porcelain floor tiles have been used all the way through the lower floors to the kitchen and laundry space at the rear. There is storage space included in the double garage and two doors allow access to inside the home and to the rear outdoor areas. Immediately from the front passage is a glamorous timber staircase that provides access to the upstairs master bedroom and bathroom, a study and a large retreat that feeds out to a substantial balcony that overlooks the hills to the east. Three of the homes four bedrooms are located directly at the front of the home which capitalises on the entertainment areas at the back that includes a swimming pool, a spa and barbecue areas. Mr Pace said the entire ground floor living and entertaining areas orientates itself around the outdoor area.
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“It faces north west so you are picking up the best orientation for sunlight and purposeful living space,” Mr Pace said. “If you stand in the kitchen then you can see the pool and spa area and if you stand in the living area you have the same aspect.” The colour palette used inside the home is dark, earthy tones; the porcelain tiles for the main floor are light coloured and large brown fully rectified tiles have been used for the powder room, bathroom and ensuite floors to give warmth to the spaces. The master bedroom incorporates a bulkhead ceiling with shadow line ceilings and star lights around it. A large walk in robe forms part of the bedroom space and large louvered windows facing the front afford views to the foothills, which is complemented with a large balcony that includes a frameless glass balustrade with a stainless steel handrail. The cabinetry has been finished in timber laminex with contrasting stone countertops. Mr Pace said the whole idea of the upstairs area is to offer a complete parents retreat that is almost completely self-contained and is unique. “Access to the balcony is via the retreat space through sliding glass doors or through the master bedroom. “The study includes a double entry door so the owner can capitalise on the views and a small nook can be used for an entertainment or television area.” The three bedrooms at the front share a large bathroom and powder room. The kitchen has a freestanding kitchen island and a large work bench that has been finished with black granite and gold sparkles running through it. Glass splashbacks and overhead cupboard areas complement the look and the kitchen also incorporates electric hotplates. A well placed barbecue area behind the kitchen features mosaics inlaid into glass splashbacks while a glass sliding door allows direct access from the kitchen into the barbecue area that has been fitted with a stainless steel range hood, a barbecue and an outdoor shower. A porch provides additional outdoor entertaining space at the rear, which also includes a pool and a spa. A square paver with an inlaid exposed aggregate has been used throughout the outdoor living areas. The pool incorporates a cascading water feature that has been constructed and has been centred directly in line with the kitchen. Four alfresco sliding doors allow access to a larger porch space to the rear. The home has been finished with a brick rendered wall at the front of the home, which also supports a garden bed with low maintenance plantings. BC
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The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 101
COMMERCIAL
Masters changes the face of home improvement sector
// words lisa shearon
A home improvement store with a refreshing, contemporary look.
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Australia’s home improvement sector has received a much-needed breath of fresh air from Masters, a joint venture between Woolworths and US hardware giant Lowe’s. The first store opened in Melbourne in September 2011, with more quickly following; WA already boasts four Masters stores, with a fifth to follow in Joondalup very soon. Leffler Simes Architects produced the concept design of the new hardware/home improvement centre and is leading the national rollout. Its brief was to create a home improvement store with a refreshing, contemporary look that provides for more interaction with the customer. In WA, Oldfield Knott Architects provides local architectural services to Leffler Simes, tailoring the design to local site and construction constraints. Masters Forrestdale, the first to be documented by Oldfield Knott and built by Built Environs, was completed for Masters fit-out in early 2012 and has been successfully trading since that time. “Masters offers an alternative to Bunnings, but with a much wider retail scope for a complete home improvement centre,” explained David Sutton, Oldfield Knott senior architect. “It’s a little bit more upmarket than the competition. Their philosophy is that the women of the household actually control home improvements, so they’re directing their marketing in that direction.” Masters is thinking big when it comes to home improvement, each store is about 13,000 to 14,000sqm and divided into three sections; retail, trade and a garden centre. The retail section offers home solutions rather than hardware. Think complete kitchens, white goods, appliances, lighting and flooring. The trade section, which Masters hopes will account for 50 per cent of turnover, has a drive-through area. Masters Forrestdale opened in March 2012, after a mere 30-week build time. “The builders did an outstanding job of logistics and organising to get the job done as quickly as possible,” Mr Sutton said. “The main builder is responsible for construction including building services and lighting. After a 30-week construction period they hand over to one of Masters’ specialist fit-out teams, who rack out and stock the store for opening while final
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commissioning of the building and services is carried out.” The façade of the Masters stores is impressive and immediately recognisable, with bold blue signage and pre-painted Alucobond metal cladding that is designed for high impact and low maintenance. A large amount of high glazing gives a striking impression and provides the customer with a view of the whole store from the entrance. While the glazing at the Forrestdale store extends across both the retail and garden centre facades, Mr Sutton said the garden centre glazing is being phased out and replaced with open mesh screens, which are more in keeping with the outdoor garden centre goods. At Forrestdale, as at all Masters stores, the retail section accounts for a fair chunk of floor space. “The main floor space is retail,” explains Marc Bettenhausen, an architectural graduate who has worked on all the Masters projects handled by Oldfield Knott. “We’ve got 8,000sqm for retail and 2,200sqm each for trade and garden, plus the back of house.” While at first glance the floor of the retail section may seem nothing out of the ordinary, upon closer inspection it’s something
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quite special indeed. “The concrete floor is of a very high specification,” explains Mr Bettenhausen. “Specialist concrete consultants from America and Australia were involved to ensure the quality of the finish. “Masters wanted to eliminate hairline cracks and the dull, grey, concrete finish. They didn’t want to use sealers because sealers wear out. This is a very special, polished concrete floor with no sealers.” The Forrestdale store is unique in that it has a mezzanine office and staff areas. Other stores in WA are now being developed in a single-storey configuration. “The first stores have a mezzanine administration level but Masters came to the decision that putting the mezzanine in was an expensive operation, so all of those facilities are now coming down to the main trading floors,” Mr Sutton explained. “The store designs are developing all the time with small but significant improvements being incorporated since the first stores were opened in Victoria. As we do the new ones the operators will go in and say, ‘Let’s change this and improve that.’ “If you look at the plans you won’t see many changes from one to another but from our point of view there are lots of detail changes that occur from one site to the next. It’s partly because of the site requirements but partly because Masters is continually refining its operational procedures, improving the way things work and, of course, looking at costs,” Mr Sutton added. In a project of this scale it’s little wonder that specialist consultants were involved in every stage of the design and build process. “There were BCA consultants, energy consultants, fire consultants and then the normal mechanical hydraulics engineers, electrical engineers and mechanical engineers. “As a large, isolated building beyond the scope of ‘deemed to satisfy’ provisions of the Building Code, the Fire and Emergency Services Administration of WA (FESA) were involved with our fire engineers (Aecom) to develop fire-engineered solutions to ensure fire safety,” Mr Sutton added. “FM Global was also involved in establishing stringent standards
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Their philosophy is that the women of the household actually control home improvements, so they’re directing their marketing in that direction. for the selection of materials and the placement of warning and fire-fighting equipment for the safety of occupants.” The building’s environmental credentials are good. Both the ceiling and walls are insulated, the ceiling with a double layer of Epicon and the exterior and dividing walls with Kingspan pre-fabricated insulated metal panels, which started life as cool-room panels. The retail area benefits from air conditioning, while the trade and garden centre areas are well ventilated. “The air conditioning unit is quite special,” explained Mr Sutton. “It distributes air in a much more efficient manner and means we have less units on the roof.” A 400-bay car park means retail and garden centre customers will rarely be queuing for spaces, while trade customers don’t even have to get out of the car, they can utilise the drive-through service. Each of the three areas within the store also benefits from having its own entrance, so there’s no wandering aimlessly through irrelevant aisles. A loading area to the rear of the store is obscured from public view by specially designed gates clad in Colorbond sheeting. “All loading is done under a big canopy and then taken into a receiving area that’s fairly significant, both in floor area and volume,” Mr Sutton said.
Internally, perfecting the truss system took time and effort. “In the early stages of design our engineers developed a truss system rather than beams and rafters, which proved to be, in this case, the most economic solution to the wide spans required by Masters,” Mr Sutton said. Large roof sections, including the roof purlins, were assembled on the ground and raised as one section, thus reducing the potentially dangerous time workers spent high above the floor. The racking layout was developed by Masters in its Sydney office. “They have a team there who do the racking layout for all the stores. We would shoot them a plan of the proposed column locations and they would come back and say, ‘Can you move this column to this position?’ “It went back and forth quite a few times but in the end I think we came to quite a reasonable solution.” According to Mr Sutton, the design and construct process was very straightforward considering the scale of the project and the 30-week timeframe allocated. “Guided by the local project managers, IPS, it was handed over on time and there were no cost blowouts. It went very smoothly and very quickly, which is impressive for a building of this size.” BC Oldfield Knott Architects: (08) 9381 6788, www.oldfieldknott.com.au Built Environs: (08) 8232 1882, www.builtenvirons.com.au
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The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 105
RESIDENTIAL
Perth lifestyle promotes
outdoor living
The concept of glamorous alfresco spaces has grown to be a must have option of many would be renovators and home additions and this is no more evident than in this project that makes the most of its outdoor entertaining opportunities. // words rhonda malkin // words photography by edward pritchard
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Many Perth home owners are capitalising on the state’s enviable Mediterranean climate and lifestyle by adapting their outdoor spaces into luxurious alfresco entertaining rooms that offer maximum flexibility. And it’s a trend that is expected to continue as the cost of living increases and many seek ways to cut costs by entertaining at home. Leading Perth builder Pace Projects Construction Management (PPCM) director, Charles Pace said more people were approaching his company to construct alfresco’s than ever before. “We are now specialising in this type of construction to cater for the large number of people coming to us looking for new outdoor entertaining options,” Mr Pace said. He said the company recently completed a new alfresco in Hillarys that has completely revitalised the home. “The client called us in because they had a patio out the back and an existing swimming pool and they wanted to try and bring it in closer and make it more user-friendly.” “They had a lot of plants and hedges in between the existing patio and the swimming pool so it made it hard work for the client to enjoy the outdoor areas.” Mr Pace said he redesigned the back patio area into a luxurious alfresco
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“The beautiful thing about this alfresco is that it’s elevated…and when you are sitting inside it you are privy to magnificent vista of the pool and gardens.”
complete with a small kitchen and bar, a home theatre, central sitting area and a large dining space. “We took off the original patio structure and put on a roof that complemented the house and also extended it out to connect with the existing garage,” he said. The home theatre has also been treated with a stunning rock feature wall that adds warmth, texture and dimension to the space. The entire alfresco area has been completed with a pitched gable roof and is complemented by an additional separate covered entertaining section located directly next to the swimming pool. “To walk into the house now it has a grand feel and as you walk through the house the new area allows you to read all the way back through to the pool.”
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The alfresco structure was created using steel columns to support the roof beams and the roof while curtain walling was used extensively, along with large expanses of bi-fold doors. The entire alfresco has been completed with a pitched tiled roof and gables that include highlight windows to let a bit more light into the main space. A hard wood Maibue timber has been utilised for the timber deck floor and is more hard wearing than jarrah and easier to maintain. Lights in the floor and ceiling complement the entire area and lends a bit of ambience to the space. The bar has been completed with polished concrete floors and a u-shaped granite look laminated countertop with ample cupboard space. Two wall to wall bifolds provide access to the rear of the property while a third expansive bifold on the northern side of the alfresco feeds into a courtyard and barbecue area. Mr Pace said touch blinds with 100 per cent ultra violet blockage were fitted to all of the glazing in the space for those moments when the sun beats in from the west. “So you can either block it off completely on those bleak winter days or you can open the whole thing up on a summer’s day and enjoy a complete vista overlooking the swimming pool.”
108 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
He said the finished floor height of the alfresco matched the floor height of the main house while the swimming pool dropped away by about 400mm. “The beautiful thing about this alfresco is that it’s elevated…and when you are sitting inside it you are privy to a magnificent vista of the pool and gardens.” This vista is further enhanced with extensive paved areas that provide easy access from the alfresco to every corner of the garden and pool areas. The ceiling of the alfresco is completed in a western red cedar that follows the pitch of the roof, which gives it a sense of grandness. With the alfresco and separate additional covered space next to the pool, more than 132sqm of living and outdoor space has been added to the home. Connection with the indoor living areas of the main house is seamless with two sliding doors providing access from the rear lounge and living rooms and a servery window feeding from the main kitchen through to the smaller alfresco bar. PPCM also established a gym area on the second floor of the two storey home by enclosing a balcony. BC Pace Projects Construction Management: (08) 93828511, ppcmcharles@hotmail.com
COMMERCIAL
Cosmopolitan
experience from Cheese Café // words rhonda malkin // images jessica wyld photography
The building was cut into a hill and built as a two storey complex with half of it in the ground, maximising the space into the land.
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It’s the first dedicated cheese café in the state and is set to quickly become part of the fabric of the Swan Valley area as a go-to place for day trippers and lovers of fabulous cheese, wine and a coffee or two. Set amongst some of the most stunning countryside in the Swan Valley, The Cheese Barrel Café is the perfect accompaniment to the Olive Farm Winery, which also boasts a rich wine history. And it’s this history that café designer, Michael Yurisich of Yuro Building Design drew upon to create a space that would cater for growing demand from its winery customers for a café and a place to relax on the same premises. Mr Yurisich is part of a fourth generation wine making family that has been creating gorgeous wines since 1930 and now operates the Olive Farm Winery on Great Northern Highway. Now with a growing design business in his own right, Mr Yurisich took on the task of building a cheese café that would not only complement the existing well established Olive Farm Winery business but also develop a new business concept on its doorstep. The café is set just 50m from the winery and by utilising the same driveway and existing car park, customers have just a short distance the walk from one building to another. The building was cut into a hill and built as a two storey complex with half of it in the ground, maximising the space into the land. By adopting this technique the café now enjoys fabulous 180 degree views from a large decking space. The views take in Susannah Brook, which bounds the rear of the property as well as the extensive grounds of the property. The technique also makes the outdoor decking area appear as if it’s floating but it is supported by large columns and is something much more contemporary than most venues in the Swan Valley. Mr Yurisich said he went with a steel framed building because of the limited site works, speed of construction and to experiment with a new cladding material. “It’s the first time this composite timber cladding product has been used in Western Australia and it certainly complements the natural setting by applying it to the façade, it still has a modern, urban edge to it,” Mr Yurisich said. The same product was used for the outdoor decking area as well as feature cladding around a large display case for the cheeses. Along with the luxurious
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 109
THE BUILDERS CHOICE commercial
Anyone visiting the café could be excused for thinking they had been transported down to a quaint Margaret River cheese venue albeit without the travel and expense of getting there.
110 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
timber finish, the façade also incorporates a dynamic rust look feature panelling that seems to jut out of the wall like fins. The client was looking for something a bit rustic but used in a modern way with different negative joints on the cladding that lends more texture and character as opposed to a standard painted finish. The treatment has also been applied on the cladding for the support columns in the outdoor decking area. The café operates specifically to sell about 40 local, Australian and international cheeses and also offers cheese making courses where participants learn how to make a selection of cheeses from things found at home. The experience is complemented by a variety of tasting wines from the Olive Farm Winery. Mr Yurisich said the café offered a myriad of opportunities for any day tripper. “The building is essentially dedicated to the supply of cheese and wine and offers visitors to the Swan Valley an opportunity to visit a venue for two or three hours…the Swan Valley market is not known for its weekender options like Margaret River, it’s more for day trips where people can have something to eat, have a coffee and not get tied down to doing the same activity all day. “Essentially the experience is a bit more cosmopolitan and tapas.” A large bar area to the left incorporates a substantial custom-made cheese fridge and display case that is three metres long and two metres high, and is a focal point for the indoor area. Mr Yurisich said he put in water stations outside so people could fill up their own drinks and fruit stations for
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Yuro Building Design: 0417965653, www.yuro.com.au Building Developments WA: (08) 9249 8668
“Essentially the experience is a bit more cosmopolitan and tapas.”
EN
people to help themselves to fruit. “They wanted to make something different for people to go to in the valley,” he said. There are also highlight windows above a large workspace in the bar where people can look out over the horizon as the sun sets,” he said. He said the prerequisite for the café was the ability to fit about 100 people into the venue at any one time. “So we established the toilets, kitchen and inside area and kept the inside dining space compact and with cold platter and coffees generally on offer there was no need for a substantial food preparation area and therefore no need for a large commercial kitchen,” he said. Instead of extending the building itself for extra room, Mr Yurisich said he had the idea of digging back under the building and using space that would have normally been covered up. “So we basically doubled the floor area by digging back under the building… we used the outdoor deck as a roof structure and lined the deck with a Colorbond roof so if any spills occur, it runs back to a gutter so the under croft area is essentially waterproof. You enter at the top level and there is a meandering path framed by limestone retaining walls to access the lower level as well as a u-shaped steel staircase coming down from the top balcony. Anyone visiting the café could be excused for thinking they had been transported down to a quaint Margaret River cheese venue albeit without the travel and expense of getting there. BC
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The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 111
COMMERCIAL
WA’s first cord blood bank facility
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// words rhonda malkin
The Australian Red Cross Blood Service has added to its research capabilities with a third-level expansion above existing premises in the heart of Perth. The building works on the Rotary WA Cord Blood Bank facility were funded by money raised through Rotary Western Australia as part of the organisation’s 100th anniversary celebrations and gift to the community of Western Australia. As builders for the blood cord bank, which is the first of its kind in the state, Pact Construction was required to work within some incredible onsite constraints to produce the state-of-the-art research facility. Pact Construction general manager, Jason Kunkler said the building company had to work with an existing youth hostel to the left, a major railway line to the rear, a Western Power substation, which supplies a significant portion of Perth’s electricity requirements and a very busy road to the front. “We were basically constrained on four sides…we had a small lay down area to the front of the site that enabled us to build up some scaffolding through to the third level of the building, which was effectively where the new works were being constructed and enabled us to provide safe access for workers,” Mr Kunkler said. “Logistically it was one of those projects that required daily coordination, weekly planning, programming and coordination meetings not only within our own business but with sub contractors, youth hostel management and staff, with the Perth Transport Authority as well as Western Power, and the City of Perth in terms of an impact we were going to have on traffic flow on Wellington Street. “So there was a need to have regular communications with all the stakeholders and associated agencies discussing the planned activities on site and the affect that was going to have.” The building works were carried out on the third level of the existing complex, measuring approximately 700sqm and achieved the highest levels of hygiene classification. All of the building works were conducted while the Red Cross continued to operate out of the existing premises.
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The venue is essentially a clean room facility that requires one of the highest levels of hygiene and almost zero bacteria tolerance in the finished space.
The design of the unique venture was undertaken by architectural firm Buchan Group, which is one of the largest architectural groups in Australasia. Recognised for its design excellence in a range of project types, Buchan Group was well placed to deliver outstanding results on this project that will positively affect the lives of countless patients. Initial construction work involved installing a topping slab across the top of the building once the original roof was demolished. Some of the plant and equipment, and lift services were altered for the duration of the project but reinstated once the roof works were completed. The floor space was fitted out with new office space for research staff that operates the facility, a new cryogenic freezer facility, various laboratories and sampling areas. Rotary WA Cord Blood Bank senior scientist in charge of the project, Gail Lazzaro said the facility was dedicated to a program involving healthy mums donating their healthy baby’s umbilical cord blood for patients who required a bone marrow transplant and were without a suitably matched bone marrow donor. “Across the world there are many patients who can’t find tissue type matches for their treatment so by commencing our activities here in WA we hope to capture cord blood donors who have tissue types that aren’t already represented on the national or international registry,” Ms Lazzaro said. Mr Kunkler said a range of elements had been added to the new floor space, which were additional functions and features of what they were already doing.” One of the most significant aspects of the build is the installation of a substantial cryogenic system. About 30 per cent of the floor area is devoted to this machinery.
A myriad of mechanical services and an elaborate vacuum insulated line delivers liquid nitrogen to various points in the laboratories on the new floor to maintain all of the frozen samples. Another astonishing fact is the venue is essentially a clean room facility that requires one of the highest levels of hygiene and zero bacteria tolerance in the finished space. To achieve this, Mr Kunkler said specialist coatings and sealants were used along with male to female joints in all of the internal panel construction as well as specialist diffusers for all mechanical services and air diffusion systems. “It’s a genuine high level, hygienic laboratory installation with construction and materials applied in such a way that there was absolutely no chance of contaminants getting into those areas,” he said. In addition, refrigerated aluminium-lined sandwich panels have been used for the ceiling in the majority of the ceiling space of the new tenancy as well as a chilled water air distribution system and fan coil units in the ceiling space. The air filtration and air conditioning systems have been located in the ceiling to ensure easy accessibility and to reduce the amount of contact with outside air or external contaminants that the outside could draw into the facility. The mechanical services involved in this project were so significant that it accounted for about 17 per cent of the overall project value. After the building was completed it also took about 10 months to receive final approval for the building from the State Health Department. Externally, Pact Construction utilised an AFS panel system, which is essentially a sandwich panel. An Acrotex paint finish was applied to the panels as part of the final external treatments. BC Pact Construction: (08) 9340 5900, www.pactconstruction.com.au
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 113
RESIDENTIAL
Attention to detail
shines in stunning family home // words lisa shearon // images silverstone photography
A breath-taking family home in Applecross is more than just a pretty face it’s been cleverly designed and constructed by Urbane Projects to accommodate a growing family of five while embracing the indoor-outdoor lifestyle. With its two-storey wall of glass, rendered façade and profile Colorbond roof with custom-designed gutters, the three-storey property has an impressive street presence. Internally, the magnificence continues with a floor plan that’s been designed to evolve with a young family. “For longevity, every space was designed to be multifunctional to suit different purposes as time goes on,” Urbane managing director Steve Gliosca explained. Owners Steve and Lisa McGhee’s brief to Urbane was for a contemporary home they could remain in as their three little boys grew into teenagers and young adults. As such, the home has spaces for the family to come together as well as zones where adults and children can entertain collectively or separately. The 998.15sqm property is split over three levels, with entry
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to the home via a custom-designed, Jarrah-framed pivot door, stained to match the floorboards on the upper floor. Entrance can also be gained through the basement, which has feature wallpaper and a handy key drawer to make it all the more inviting. Visible through the two-storey wall of glass, the floating Jarrah staircase on the ground floor makes an impressive opening statement. The balustrade, which continues along the first-floor mezzanine, was designed in-house with stainless steel, glass and timber details. The ground floor comprises a sitting room, guest suite and en suite, laundry, boys’ activity room, boys’ study nook, three boys’ bedrooms and bathroom and two powder rooms. Bluestone flooring continues throughout the ground floor, both internally and externally, although the bedrooms are carpeted. Bi-fold doors on the ground floor lead on to a luxurious pool and alfresco area that features a spa, fully equipped bar and alfresco kitchen against a backdrop of landscaped gardens. The pool and alfresco area is separated from a large lawn area to the rear of the home, giving the boys space to kick a football. “The alfresco has bi-folds on both the east and west side,” Mr Gliosca explained. “When they’re opened up it links the pool courtyard to the rear of the block, so the adults can be in the pool space and the kids can be on the lawn. There are two separate spaces, the kids’ play space and the more formal courtyard.” Urbane was closely involved in the landscaping of the property, and the home was designed with feature elements around the pool terrace to accommodate a large frangipani as a focal point. Upstairs, an open-plan living area with cantilevered balconies captures sparkling river and city views. This space comprises a timber-decked balcony, family area, meals, kitchen, scullery,
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powder room, music room, large master suite with massive walk-in-robe, en suite and bedroom. Jarrah timber floors feature throughout the first-floor living areas. According to Mr Gliosca, the client opted for this upside-down configuration to take advantage of the views. “They also wanted contact when the kids are in the pool,” he added. “So they can be upstairs in the kitchen, look through the two-storey wall of glass and down into the pool space.” The state-of-the-art kitchen, with its Pietra Grigio marble-topped island bench and world-class Miele appliances is simply made for entertaining. White, handle-less cabinetry provides a sleek, contemporary look that is warmed up with the addition of timber-look veneer surfaces and bronze mirrors as
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MCCANN’S TILING FGT
MCCANN’S TILING FGT
MCCANN’S TILING FGT
MCCANN’S TILING FGT
MCCANN’S TILING FGT
116 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
fixed panels on the side of the cabinets that face the family room. Kitchen cabinetry was all designed in-house by Urbane and the clients also opted for Vintec beverage and wine fridges for the ultimate entertaining solution. Behind the kitchen is a large scullery, which houses another oven, sink and dishwasher. The scullery is ideal for a family that enjoys entertaining, as mess and clutter can be hidden behind closed doors, leaving the kitchen looking sleek and stylish. A standout feature of this home is almost certainly the open-plan master suite, also boasting views over the city and river. A timber wall partially obscures the luxurious bedroom from the enormous, fully fitted walk-in robe and hotel-style en suite. The en suite is the epitome of luxury, with marble floor tiles, timber veneer cabinetry and a floating Pietra Grigio marble countertop. Double Catalano basins and the co-ordinating Catalano freestanding bath, all from Rogerseller, complete the opulent en suite. Below ground, the basement was excavated to incorporate a six-car garage and impressive wine cellar. “We designed and manufactured cabinets with a racking system for the cellar,” Mr Gliosca explained. “It can hold 1000-1500 bottles.” Urbane’s attention to detail shines throughout this home. The library on the ground floor is fully fitted with customised cabinetry and shelving, designed and installed by Urbane, as is the master suite’s walk-in robe and basement wine cellar. Mr Gliosca was even involved in the design and construction of bespoke pieces of furniture for the home, internal and external lighting design and the landscaping of the gardens. The home has impressive sustainability credentials too. “The solar-passive orientation accommodates natural breezes and reduces sun glare,” Mr Gliosca said. “The orientation also means there is minimal requirement for use of the fully ducted, reverse-cycle air-conditioning system.” Smart wiring ensures the property is equipped for the future and for three boys while a security system with intercom provides peace-of-mind. As requested by the client, Urbane has designed and constructed a truly integrated residence where the outside and the inside of the home are as one. This home captures an abundance of light and is magnificently crafted with a lavish use of natural materials. Mr McGhee said the finished residence was the home of his family’s dreams. “The final result has exceeded our expectations in many, many ways,” he said. BC Urbane Projects, 9329 9560, www.urbane.net.au
RESIDENTIAL
THE BUILDERS CHOICE industry news & views
Capturing timeless style
close to the river // words lisa shearon // images neil raynsford – njr images
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Zazen Building & Design has proved its ability to create classic family homes with two impressive properties that are perfectly in keeping with their riverside location. The two brand-new, Federation-style homes in Shelley and Melville capture a classic style while incorporating must-have modern features. In Shelley, the 422sqm property sits on 910sqm of land to the rear of an existing house. A poured limestone driveway leads up to the home, which boasts all the features of a classic Federation property, including Colorbond roof, limestone front verandah, elegant frieze-work and classic white timber double doors with zinc-light glazing. “The clients didn’t want an ultra-modern, super-contemporary look, they had real vision,” director Dino Colica explained. “The client was very fastidious and meticulous, she knew exactly what she wanted and kept several scrapbooks.” Inside the four-bedroom home the classic theme continues, with soaring, 34-course ceilings and wide Sydney Blue Gum timber flooring. To the left of the entrance, 2.4m-high double doors lead into a lounge and library space. Here, Zazen’s attention to detail is evident, with a continuation of the timber frieze-work first seen wrapping around the front verandah. A focal point of this room is the fireplace, created from a mantelpiece that the clients refurbished and Zazen retro-fitted into the hearth. The same attention to detail is evident in the entrance hallway, which has a handy nook to drop keys and feature recesses to display art. “We created a wall recess to perfectly fit the client’s feature art piece,” Mr Colica explained. “Star lights above accentuate the art piece.” Across from the library is a study space that could double as a guest bedroom should the need arise. “It’s decked out for a study with smart wiring, but it’s been designed in such a way that if it needs to be converted into a bedroom later on it’s a straight swap.” Next to the study is the large master bedroom, which boasts a generous en suite and extra-large walk-in robe.
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 117
THE BUILDERS CHOICE residential
“The clients wanted a walk-in robe where they could walk in one end and physically exit out the other. They also wanted to have it closed to hide any mess,” Mr Colica said. “The walk-in robe is fitted out with specific cabinetry that has been purpose built to suit the clients’ needs. This extends to drawers, extra shelving and vertical partitions.” Cavity sliding doors lead into an en suite with double vanity, double shower and bathtub. Recessed glass shelving and a feature wall of textured tiles add warmth to the space. At the heart of this home is the open-plan area that incorporates the living, dining and kitchen. “The kitchen is quite a statement in this home,” Mr Colica said. “The concept behind it was a modern, country kitchen. We’ve achieved that with panelled, thermo-laminated matt vinyl doors in a classic white, a 4.5m-long Caesarstone kitchen bench in Cracked Pepper, gloss-tiled splash back and a feature dropped ceiling with pendant lights. “A nice focal point is the fire-glazed, ceramic butler sink, which is semi-recessed from the countertop,” Mr Colica added. “The sink is complemented by a modern sink mixer and stainless-steel appliances.” Cleverly hidden behind the kitchen and accessed by a single door is the pantry and scullery. “The idea behind the scullery is when the clients are entertaining they can prepare as much as possible in the scullery and keep the kitchen clean.” Also located behind the kitchen is a powder room and galley-style laundry with floor-to-ceiling white wall tiles.
“In the laundry the clients have steered away from the stainless-steel trough and have opted instead for a vintage china trough to give a country-modern feel.” Three more timber-floored bedrooms and a second bathroom are located on the left-hand side of the home, accessed via another cavity sliding door into the passageway. Each of the bedrooms benefits from a built-in robe with sliding doors, which have been fitted out with cabinetry rather than the standard single shelf and rail. The large, 34-course alfresco is accessed via six-metre stacking slider doors, which can be totally opened up for the ultimate in indoor-outdoor entertaining. Glosswood engineered timber lines the roof of the alfresco, while 400mm by 400mm floor tiles complete the sophisticated look. “From the fresh, modern-style Federation features such as the zinc-light entry doors to the soaring ceilings with ornate cornices, wide Sydney Blue Gum floorboards and spectacular kitchen, this home encapsulates a sense of where tradition meets modern day,” Mr Colica concluded. In Melville, Mr Colica is proud to have designed and constructed a similarly non-ostentatious, honest home in a classic, timeless style. “Design inspiration has been drawn from the suburb’s era, shown by the use of the wide frontage and exposed limestone block footings,” he explained. The limestone footings are particularly in keeping with the home’s surroundings. “Because the land slopes away the house had to be built up,” Mr Colica explained. “Instead of building it up with brickwork we suggested to the client that we keep the Melville-era theme going and build it up with limestone brickwork. Now it’s part of the character of the home.” As in Shelley, the Melville home boasts a grand entrance, with Jarrah flooring and a 35-course ceiling.
Ph: 9351 3400 118 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
THE BUILDERS CHOICE residential
“Design inspiration has been drawn from the suburb’s era, shown by the use of the wide frontage and exposed limestone block footings.”
“The feature in the entry is the height of it,” Mr Colica explained. “You walk in and straightaway you get that feeling of grandeur.” The three bedrooms and study are all located at the front of the house, overlooking the limestone verandah. A large double garage with additional storage and workshop space is also situated to the front of the property. The main bedroom boasts a large en suite with bathtub, double shower, 2m-high ceramic tiling and louvred windows. The same louvre shutters create a charming feature between the en suite and main bedroom. “The en suite and bedroom are separated by an entry door, however there are also bi-fold louvre timber shutters that you can open to create a nice feature,” Mr Colica said. At the centre of the home is the open-plan dining, living and kitchen area, with the same character Jarrah flooring. “The client has chosen neutral, off-white colours internally because her concept was that the floors were going to be a feature point, which they are.” In the kitchen, the client has opted for classic white doors and a 30mm Essastone bench top, canopy range hood and stainless-steel appliances. “A dropped ceiling, glass splash back and up-stand with Essastone ledge create additional feature points,” Mr Colica added. A large laundry and storeroom is located behind the kitchen. “Although the kitchen does have a double pantry, the storeroom may be used as an additional pantry,” Mr Colica explained. The home also benefits from a separate, fully enclosed media room with recessed ceiling as well as a light, bright studio area that leads directly out on to the alfresco. “The client did suggest the studio might be turned into a gym but it is there for multi-purpose use,” Mr Colica said. A cedar-wood pyramid ceiling in the timber-decked alfresco creates a striking feature. As well as from the studio, the alfresco can be accessed via stacking slider doors from the living and dining area. The 331sqm home captures smart, open-plan living filled with warmth and light, due to its south-facing orientation. The home is also particularly energy efficient, with minimal windows on the western and eastern sides of the property, cavity brickwork insulation and a solar hot water system. BC Zazen Building & Design: 9414 8779, www.zazenbuilding.com.au
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The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 119
Canal lifestyle RESIDENTIAL
transforms northwest fishing town
// words rhonda malkin // images builder/owner
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120 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
Taking full advantage of the Northwater Estate canal lifestyle is a home that exudes style and comfort but also has a flexible living design with an outdoor breezeway in the centre of the home. The home is quite unique for its location, being designed with a distinctive Broome-style. Every aspect of the home has been carefully considered starting from the façade where stunning sandstone cladding features. Beautiful soft natural hues with a timber grain pattern resonate throughout the cladding and take on different colours depending on the time of day. Tiled steps lead up to a wrought iron entry gate that features a dragon fly motif in the centre. The gate is designed for additional security but also to allow cross ventilation through the central breezeway that flows directly behind. The home is steel framed with brick veneer on the outside, and on the east and west side while the north and south wall has been finished in a Colorbond. Sandstone cladding has been used extensively throughout the outside of the home on the front and back and also been incorporated in the breezeway area. This treatment adds substantial warmth to the centre of the home. A large front entrance door with a slumped glass side light at one side as well as a louvre window all assist with increasing ventilation through the home. Another feature of the front porch area is the use of timber to line the ceiling, which adds extra warmth to the outdoor entry areas. The front door opens directly into the large outdoor breezeway, which includes a storeroom and large glass sliding door on the left facing north that allows in the winter sun. A laundry sits behind timber grained sliding doors, which match the sandstone cladding that has also been used for the walls of the breezeway. A large glass sliding door leads from the breezeway into the main living area on the right hand side of the home and includes the kitchen, dining and living areas. Builders of the home Seascape Designs have created a 9.5
THE BUILDERS CHOICE residential
green star home that caters for every season. Seascape Designs director, David Pratt said the home was very unique for the Carnarvon location with its large 60sqm outdoor activity area in the centre of the house. “It is all incorporated as part of the home and has a big bi-fold door on the north and east side so it can be either completely opened up to allow the breeze right through the home or closed off for privacy or during the colder winter months,” Mr Pratt said. Walking through the breezeway towards the views over looking the waters of the canal out the back of the home is a guest room and ensuite on the left and an impressive barbecue entertainment area on the right, which has easy access to the kitchen. Mr Pratt said placing a sliding door between the barbecue and the kitchen was an important part of maintaining a
good flow in the home. The kitchen has a lowered or step down ceiling to highlight the kitchen while the breezeway has a raking timber ceiling. Another factor that makes this home unique is the fourth bedroom is separated from the house by the breezeway and can be set up as a granny flat or teenager’s area with its own ensuite, walk in robes and a good view over the canals. Mr Pratt said the master bedroom, the fourth bedroom, the barbecue area and breezeway all afforded stunning views of the canal. “The whole estate was built ten years ago and this section was opened up about four years ago. “The home looks directly east over crystal waters onto homes on the other side of the canal and looking south it goes to the
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The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 121
THE BUILDERS CHOICE alternative residential methods of construction
Beautiful soft natural hues with a timber grain pattern resonate throughout the cladding and take on different colours depending on the time of day.
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opening of the canal. He said Carnavon was unique due to its fascine which was similar to a river way inside an ocean. “You can get to the open ocean through from the canals to the fascine and out into the ocean. “The Gascoyne River goes out into the open ocean and to the left of that there is several land masses that are like islands and they make up the Carnarvon Township… and the Northwater Estate is amongst all of that. According to Mr Pratt the water in the canal changed daily. “Some days the canal is very green, murky and cloudy but other days it is crystal clear and you can almost see the bottom…it gives a sense that the ocean flushes the canal out quite well.” He said the canal also offered an amazing recreational fishing lifestyle that was often compared with Mandurah. “For those who haven’t visited Carnarvon for a while they are amazed at the transformation it has taken and compare it with the canals of Mandurah. “People fish in the canal every day and catch fish and we saw dolphins and Dugongs in the canal during construction…it is a vital, healthy and sustainable water system,” he said. The home is finished with a driveway and two carports complete with washed quartz concrete, which according to Mr Pratt is very popular in Carnarvon. Both carports have a step back in the fascia to allow for higher vehicles like boats and caravans. BC Seascape Designs: (08) 9937 1657, www.seascapedesigns.com
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0413 600 307 PO Box 436 Carnarvon WA 6701 122 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
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RESIDENTIAL
Passive Home Design and
Sustainable Living // words rhonda malkin // images builder & owner
The project educates the community and the local building industry, and provides inspiration for members of the community who want to build or renovate a home.
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A recent venture built by West Coast Sustainability in Geraldton is another example of the types of changes that can be made to existing or new homes. The builder has completed an outstanding holiday home in Geraldton called the Ospreys Beach Chalet, which is also an educational project that showcases a range of construction techniques, materials, design features, fittings and fixtures, which are more sustainable than those found in most standard buildings. The project educates the community and the local building industry, and provides inspiration for members of the community who want to build or renovate a home. It is also an example of an affordable home, which is more sustainable than the average home of comparable size. According to company director David Pratt, the company made a number of alterations and additions to the house to promote sustainable living and the chalet is now being used as short term holiday accommodation and has become very popular. He said it wasn’t hard to be green. “It’s the best way to save your family money in the future and contribute to the welfare of our shared planet,” Mr Pratt said. “You may not want to do everything that has been done here but there’s always something you can do to make your home more sustainable and life just a little bit better.” The home is energy smart, water-wise, has high-grade heating and cooling properties and has utilised a significant amount of recyclable materials. An abundant amount of energy saving methods and appliances have been incorporated into the home including recycling old appliances
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 123
THE BUILDERS CHOICE residential
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and comparing energy and water consumption of similar products using star and water drop ratings. This enabled the builder to purchase new higher efficiency appliances through a local supplier. In order to offset the household utility bills, the builder invested in a 5kw grid-connected solar system with ten solar panels attached to each of the east facing and west facing roofs. This, combined with a 5kW inverter produces more than two and a half times the average daily usage of electricity. The outdated, electric hot water system, which accounted for half of the household’s energy use and produced three times more greenhouse gas pollution than solar or gas, was replaced with a solar hot water system, which has been fitted to a framework that doubles as a shade for the laundry and the bathroom. An electric booster has been installed, to be used for periods of reduced sun or night. Household lighting is usually a small part of the overall energy use of a home, representing about 12 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions from households. However, West Coast Sustainability still managed to reduce the lighting costs by 50 per cent with the installation of LED and compact fluorescent (CFL) lighting, which use just 20 per cent of the electricity to produce the same amount of light and can last up to 10 times longer. A 2500ltr rain water tank was installed off the side of the house to collect the rain water from all gutters. The water collected will be used as drinking water and for watering plants in the drier seasons. Another energy efficient technique involved changing an old shower head to a water saving model. In Australia the need to conserve and recycle water is an ever-increasing concern. With water restrictions in place to
THE BUILDERS CHOICE residential
With water restrictions in place to protect the supply of drinking water, having a water wise garden is more important than ever.
protect the supply of drinking water, having a water wise garden is more important than ever. And this home has been fitted with efficient reticulation, good soil preparation and careful selection of water wise plants that has created the foundation for a beautiful garden but one that uses water carefully or uses a minimal amount of water. By replacing the original homes’ old roller blinds with roman blinds and installing sun-block vertical panel blinds on new sliding doors the home copes beautifully in all weathers temperatures. The installation of ceiling fans into both the bedrooms and the living area also assists greatly with the modulation of temperatures inside the home. Eco ceiling fans from OPAL AIR were installed, which use 30 per cent less power than normal ceiling fans. The old grey and black tiled roof was painted with Dulux AcraTex CoolRoof membrane with InfraCOOL, followed by two coats of Surf Mist white paint. As air leaks can account for up to 15 per cent of the heat leaving the home, the builder sealed all the floors, walls and ceiling gaps, and installed door sealers on all exterior doors. West Coast Sustainability also installed R3.5 EarthWool insulation batts to help maintain the thermal comfort of the chalet and also to assist with reducing heating and cooling energy costs. The insulation slows the transfer of heat in and out of the home, which keeps the house cooler in summer and warmer in winter. These passive design principles increase comfort and reduce the amount of heating required. Also one window on the west side and one on the east were changed to sliding doors, to allow flow through ventilation in order to keep the home cool in the summer months, whilst reducing energy use. The builder also fitted Low E glass inside the window frames to further reduce heat loss in winter and also allow warming radiation to enter the room during the day. The windows are now about twice as well insulated as single panes, keeping the house warmer in winter, but in summer the fact that light is still entering any uncovered window means that there will still be an overall net heat gain in summer. Other sustainable practices involved using recycled plastic decking for the front deck and reusing materials from the original building or other building sites. Some old outdoor seats where recycled and given a new look plus an outdoor table was created from unused building waste. The north pergola was recycled with jarrah timbers from an old building site while old power poles were recycled into parking barriers. BC West Coast Sustainability: (08) 9964 3224, www.westcoastsustainability.com.au
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1300 931 378 sales@ureco.com.au www.ureco.com.au U12, 12-16 Millford St, East Victoria Park WA 6101 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 125
RESIDENTIAL
Dunsborough’s flair on narrow lot // words rhonda malkin // images peter hughes photography
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126 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
The popular coastal town of Dunsborough is well known for its holiday lifestyle and prime residential addresses that are crafted with distinct south west flair. This flair has also been applied to a three bedroom, two storey home on Butterworth Springs Avenue to create a home that uses every square metre of its narrow lot. The home was built by T.R MacKinnon & Co and makes a dramatic statement with its contrasting dark cladding and crisp white tones on the façade. Tongue and groove pine cladding has been applied with effect on the lower storey of the home and surrounds the double garage which has been finished with a crisp Ultra Silver Gloss sectional door. Upstairs, the façade of the second floor has been treated with Hardies blue board that has been texture coated. Entry into the property is achieved on the left hand side of the garage via an exposed aggregate concrete pathway that leads to a covered decking area and large glass and Victorian Ash front door. This design for the access way into the home was dictated by the 12m frontage of the block. T.R MacKinnon & Co projects co-ordinator, Marc MacKinnon said one of the main design influences for the home was to create space without having to establish multiple passages or lost spaces and to keep an open flow from the front to the back. “It seems that every home these days just has multiple theatre rooms or studies so I just wanted to keep this home pretty simple and low maintenance. “The entrance to the property is down the left hand side and onto a Spotted Gum timber deck leading to the main front door, which is all undercover.” “The cladding comes in its raw state as a rough sawn timber and is the colour of pine…there are hundreds of colours and finishes to choose from and this house has been stained a dark mottled chocolate colour and the contrasting silver garage door is also the same colour as the window frames.”
THE BUILDERS CHOICE residential
The skillion roof also works well with the overall design of the façade and contributes to the modern, industrial aesthetic. A gate on the right hand side of the property gives access to a small pathway that links to an outside shower, a drying area and a laundry. Through the front entrance there is a stunning entry foyer that features American Oak timber flooring and a modern central staircase. Mr MacKinnon said the builder used a central steel stringer to create the staircase and utilised a steel fabricator to weld metal treads onto them and finished it with a black matt paint. “The treads have been cut down from a glulam beam and complemented by an aluminium square style upright balustrade with stainless steel wires running through it…it’s all capped off with a round circular hand rail that has been powder coated in black.” The covered portico also allows views through the front door and a parapet with a glass finished render makes up the front entrance. From this main entry foyer is access to two sides of the home. To the right there is a games room, which acts as a meeting space or breakout area for two bedrooms that are located adjacent. A main bathroom and powder room service this section of the home, which sits directly behind the double garage. To the left of the main entry foyer are a large galley style kitchen and a sunken lounge that essentially works as one open space. “Because the block is so narrow rather than keeping it the one level we came up with the idea of the sunken lounge room,” he said. The kitchen features a long island bench and a considerable amount of vinyl white gloss laminated cabinetry which is contrasted by a dark timber veneer pull out pantry. A bulkhead has also been incorporated into the ceiling of the kitchen, which helps define the space from the sunken lounge room.
Flowing on from the kitchen is a large dining area, which is framed by a wall of three horizontal windows and six stacker doors that separate from the middle. The arrangement allows ample light throughout the home and keeps the living spaces open and with clean lines. A large 55sqm decking area takes full advantage of the north facing backyard and includes a covered patio that features external cladding. “We have two laminated posts on each end and continued the cladding to wrap around in a square form…it has a skillion falling back to another parapet, which is glass finished rendered on the other end next to the adjoining neighbour’s fence.” The second floor of this residence also takes advantage of stunning views across to a nature reserve via two large sections of glazing fitted as part of a parents retreat. This retreat sits next to the master bedroom that also affords the same view. A study area can also be fitted into the upstairs lounge room with a large section of cabinetry designed to be fitted onto one of the walls. A large walk in robe is positioned directly behind the master bedroom, which is further complemented by a double master bathroom. Floor to ceiling tiles complement a frameless shower screen, which is opposite a horizontal louvred window. Totalling 271sqm of living space, the home has also been awarded with the 2012 HIA South West framed home of the year between $350,000 and $650,000. The home is currently for sale through Louis De Chiera at Stocker Preston Real Estate. BC T.R MacKinnon: (08) 97553422, www.mackbuild.com Stocker Preston: (08) 9756 8888, www.stockerpreston.com.au
One of the main design influences for the home was to create space without having to establish multiple passages or loft spaces and to keep an open flow from the front to the back. T 08 9754 1211 F 08 9754 1213 34 Cook St, Busselton WA
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The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 127
RESIDENTIAL
Cathedral ceilings frame a piece of American history // words rhonda malkin // words owner & builder
The lovely thing about this home is the way the design detail and the elements of the living spaces just flow through.
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128 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
Incorporating specialist items into a home is a wish expressed by most people building their dream home. But one Perth builder/designer has managed to tick every box for his clients by packing an astounding array of creative and glamorous materials, designs and features to create a distinctive four bedroom home in Wembley. Pace Projects Construction Management (PPCM) has designed a home that is truly one of a kind and suits its client to a tee. There is so much attention to detail throughout the home but the biggest standout feature would have to be the unique and stately recycled double timber doors and archway ensemble that gives the home its distinct character. PPCM director, Charles Pace said the Oregon timber doors were originally part of a bar overseas and required a substantial amount of restoration work to fit them into the home. “The door was inlaid with intricate segments of glass so we had to get a template cut for every glass panel. “We then took the glass out of the wood frame and stripped the wood back to its raw state and repainted it…every piece of glass that was in the joinery had to be removed and replaced and it was all done by hand. “It has been restored with primers and sealers and put new glass into it by following the original jigsaw pattern of the joinery…there were hours and hours of work just for the sanding alone.” The craftsmanship required restoring the 2.5m wide and 3.5m high door system is astounding and is perfectly complemented by soaring 6m cathedral style, vaulted ceilings that have been lined with white timber panels. This level of detail is repeated throughout the home and begins even before the front door is opened. The front façade of the home has been treated with a grand four column,
The craftsmanship required restoring the ... high door system is astounding and is perfectly complemented by soaring 6m cathedral volted style ceilings.
pitched portico that has been finished with a white timber lining. An arched, glass covered entry also allows ample light into a main entry foyer. To the left of the foyer is the master bedroom, en suite and spacious walk through robe while to the right is access into a double garage. An incredible dining and living zone is located beyond the entry foyer and is where the full dramatic effect of the massive recycled doors and cathedral ceiling becomes evident. Beyond the first dining and living room is a luxurious outdoor living area that has been enclosed as part of the home and features another set of recycled doors. The next living space is directly behind the outdoor living area and forms the final instalment of the three connected areas that also offer views of a side outdoor alfresco area and a vista all the way through the three living zones. Mr Pace said he designed the home as single storey and created a separate studio out the back instead of putting it on the top level as a second storey. “The lovely thing about this home is the way the design detail and the elements of the living spaces just flow through,” he said. “The standout features of the house would have to be the ceiling heights, ceiling pitch and ceiling lining and the relationship between the windows and the wall height,” he said. The three main pyramid roof structures were detailed with very large boxed gutters between each roof to catch rain water, which is perfect for rainwater tanks. Very detailed and from the sides these roofs give an amazing effect of height and grandeur. Even the side aspect of the home is interesting overall having five different roof heights evident from the streetscape. A large kitchen also forms part of the dining and living area, offering a 3m long granite countertop and a recessed computer nook with bi-fold doors that can be hidden away when not in use.
A very long 1200mm wide passageway flows from the kitchen to two bedrooms at the rear of the home. The passageway also offers access to an outdoor alfresco on the right hand side of the house linking the internal areas to a drying space for the laundry. To the left of the passageway is a double entrance into a substantial lounge room that has been fitted with a stunning wall feature and to the right is a large internal store room, powder room and main bathroom. A large expanse of north facing windows allow direct northern light into the house and gives prime views onto the main alfresco and pool area. Mr Pace said the zoning of the home allowed complete flexibility for the parents to have space at the front of the home while the children could be located at the back of the home sharing privacy later for a growing family. Louvered windows feature throughout most of the home including on the side of both of the recycled door ensembles to allow the greatest amount of light and airflow through the spaces. Built separate from the main house is a self-contained studio, which will be used as a work area and is complete with an ensuite and shed area located adjacent. The double brick and tile home has been finished with an acrylic harditex render. BC PPCM: (08) 9382 8511, charles@ppcm.com.au
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 129
RESIDENTIAL
All night campers buy big at prestigious Beaumaris Beach
The campers came back to the north metropolitan coastal strip in force last month (November) - and they were all upmarket buyers. Twelve families queued all night at Beaumaris Beach Estate to await the release of 38 new home sites at the prestigious estate. // words satterley
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130 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
The campers, representing themselves and friends, immediately accounted for 20 sales, a clear indication that confidence is returning to the higher end of the residential market. “In that one weekend, Beaumaris Beach made a third of its average annual sales,” says Nigel Satterley, chief executive of the Satterley Property Group. “Beaumaris Beach is one of the State’s exclusive blue chip estates and represents some of WA’s best beachside residential land. “It is the tranquil lifestyle close to the ocean that attracts homebuyers. “We release only a few stages every year and the lots are set among existing prestige homes.” To live at Beaumaris in the suburb of Iluka, you may have to outlay close to half a million dollars for the land alone. Some of the homes have sold for $1.5 million. The median price for a home in Beaumaris Beach is more than $811,000 with sales over the past year rising by four per cent. Its beautiful parks, imposing homes, walk and cycle ways and open spaces give it five star rating and prestigious living. The serene lifestyle is a foremost attraction. Each enclave at the estate has its own special character and appeal to suit all age groups. The young, middle-aged and retirees can all find their niche in Beaumaris because of the variety of lots and home designs which cater for all lifestyles. The Beaumaris coastline offers an abundance of leisure activities. It’s a great place to go fishing, there is windsurfing and boating and Iluka Foreshore Park has barbecues and children’s playground facilities. The seaside walk
THE BUILDERS CHOICE residential
Beaumaris Beach is one of the State’s exclusive blue chip estates and represents some of WA’s best beachside residential land.
linking Iluka Beach with the Burns Beach Resort is part of a longer walkway extending all the way to Mindarie in the north and almost unbroken to Fremantle in the south. The dual use pathway is an attraction for people of all ages who enjoy exercising or an unhurried stroll. Apart from its proximity to the pristine stretch of safe beach, Beaumaris is about half an hour’s drive from the city by freeway and close to shops, schools and colleges and recreation and sports facilities. Beaumaris’ rustic, village environment with road calming and less traffic belies the close proximity of such outstanding amenities and services as the Joondalup Health Campus, the Edith Cowan University and the West Coast TAFE College. Joondalup and Wanneroo also offer excellent shopping and a range of business outlets and trades. Beaumaris Beach began selling 17 years ago and now there are about 4500 people living there. There are more than 1500 homes, 30 hectares of parkland as well as public open spaces and sporting venues. The centrepiece is the Sir James McCusker Park, named after the well-known businessman and philanthropist who pioneered the estate. Sir James set up the Town and Country Building Society, which was one of the dominant lending institutions in the State. In 1983, he was honoured with a knighthood for a lifetime of business achievement and community service. Sir James was enthusiastic about Beaumaris and it was at his behest that a
great number of the sporting and leisure amenities, including the park and lake, were built into the structure plan. Sir James McCusker died in 1995. His son the well-known barrister Malcolm McCusker QC, now the Governor of Western Australia, became the driving force behind the Beaumaris development. A new and exciting display village featuring some of WA’s most prestigious builders is now open in Beaumaris Beach. Currently 13 homes out of the 14-home display village are open, which showcase some of today’s most contemporary homes built on some of the most sought-after blocks in the estate. Satterley’s chief executive Nigel Satterley said the display village was undoubtedly the most premium display village in Perth’s northern corridor. Located on the corner of O’Mara Boulevard and Romano Crescent, Iluka, the display village includes premium homes by; APG Homes, Atrium Homes, Beaumonde Homes, Don Russell Homes, Highbury Homes, In Vogue Homes, Perceptions Homes, Webb and Brown Neaves, Summit Homes, Platinum Homes, BH Broadway Homes, Sovereign Building, Wilson and Hart and In Residence. The new Beaumaris Beach sales and information centre built by Webb and Brown Neaves, is now complete and is located at the entrance of the display village. BC Satterley: Danuta Wnek (08) 9368 9068 / 0418 918 419, www.satterley.com.au
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 131
ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION
Photo: Courtesy of www.pryda.com.au
Chain of custody certification // words colin fitzpatrick, ceo – tabma
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TABMA provides access to Chain of Custody Certification services to members and non members across Australia through an accredited certification body. To this end TABMA works closely with both FSC and PEFC national offices, and has been, and will continue to provide and sponsor knowledge information sessions with both bodies. TABMA, as an industry association, is not for or against certification but believes, as part of its charter, it should assist those who require certification. TABMA works closely with CoC certifying bodies and buyers of certified timber such as the ISIS Group and most certified timber importers and suppliers. Currently there are 521 FSC certified sites and 410 PEFC certified sites across Australia. (Information available from FSC and PEFC web sites) TABMA offers a certification consultancy service in each State and the accredited CoC certification body we work with is Scientific Certification Systems (SCS). Nick Capobianco of SCS provides the following factual information: “The most reliable way of providing an impartial indication of CoC certification costs is to contact one of the certifying bodies (CB) that have that information. There are four CB’s in Australia which have certified 90 per cent of the FSC CoC certificates and these can be found on the FSC website. For AFS/PEFC there are some additional CB’s and typically AFS/PEFC certificates cost similar or less than FSC. SCS annual audit fees are less than $4,000 for most of our clients. Over and above that are annual license fees for logo use and these are variable and publicly available. Below are examples that apply to medium sized organisations:
Perth Residential & Commercial Carpentry Quality, Reliability & Solutions.
Commercial roof construction & 2nd fix teams to deliver your project on time. All metro & regional areas. P. 08 9249 6408 | F. 08 9249 6993 | E. info@prccarpentry.com.au PO Box 3044, Malaga, DC. W.A. 6945 | 28 Millrose Drive, Malaga W.A. 6090 | www.prccarpentry.com.au
132 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
THE BUILDERS CHOICE alternative methods of construction
TABMA, as an industry association, is not for or against certification but believes, as part of its charter, it should assist those who require certification.
FSC: $880 for manufacturers with sales turnover up to $25M $330 for wholesalers with sales turnover up to $25M Refer to FSC-POL-20-005 V1-0 available at www.fsc.org.au PEFC: $250 year 1 and $2500 for sales of certified products up to $10M Refer to AFS/PEFC Application for Logo Usage License available at www.forestrystandard.com.au Audit fees are a function of auditor time, overhead and travel costs. Therefore costs will be higher where there are many sites to audit or where there are complex audits to verify controlled wood and reclaimed wood fibre. The costs of achieving certification and implementing systems for CoC will of course be variable and dependent on the complexity of the business. For the majority of our clients, which includes merchants, suppliers, joiners, saw mills etc; existing IT systems, inventory management and warehousing has required a small amount of change because most start off with obtaining certification on a defined range of products rather than endeavoring to certify everything. Once certified, we find most companies take a structured and commercial approach to expand their certified product options, based on factors such as availability of certified products and customer demand.
Obtaining certification on all product lines can be especially difficult for companies such as timber merchants that sell a very large range of products from many suppliers. CoC certification is a voluntary system that allows organizations to provide their customers with independent verification of the origin of their products. Companies seek certification to either remain relevant to customers’ needs for verification of the origin of the timber or to differentiate on environmental and social grounds. CoC certification can also provide a mechanism to demonstrate due diligence in verifying legality. TABMA believes it is important to dispel some of the myths being espoused about CoC certification, to make companies aware of the options available and provide accurate information about the costs and complexity in order to help people make informed decisions. By contacting the writer at colin@tabma.com.au we can provide the names of the many TABMA members who have become CoC certified, so that those considering obtaining certification can obtain an independent comment. BC Tabma: (02) 9277 3100, www.tabma.com.au
Offering State wide distribution for all your Framing and Truss needs
34 Carinyah Road Pickering Brook WA
Ph: 1300 016 899 Fx: 1300 014 060 E: quotes@tpft.com.au www.tpft.com.au The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 133
ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION
Australian hardwood flooring the natural flooring solution The warm rich colours and durability of timber makes it a very popular floor covering for many new homes and renovations and it’s easy to maintain the natural lustre of timber with a few simple tips. // words atfa
Hardwood flooring, available in many species and board sizes, can be laid over a variety of substrates from timber board products to concrete slabs. This makes hardwood flooring ideal for new homes and apartments as well as renovation work, where there is a product suited to almost every owner. There are many Australian species from different parts of the country used in timber flooring. For example Spotted Gum, Ironbark, Blackbutt and Tallowwood from the states of Queensland and New South Wales, Tasmanian Oak and Victorian Ash are blends of southern ash eucalypts from the states of Victoria and Tasmania and then in Western Australia the species Jarrah and Karri are often used in timber floors. These species provide some of the best flooring
134 The The Builders Builders Choice Choice Magazine Magazine –– December December2012 2012 134
timbers in the world. Their natural beauty, adding both warmth and elegance, has made them the feature of many an Australian home and have also been exported as flooring to many countries around the world. Colour is always an important consideration when purchasing a timber floor and the rich array of colours, colour blends and toning available with Australian species is attractive to purchasers. For example Jarrah can provide a mix of rich reds with paler toned board, Ironbark a blend of dark to mid browns and reds and also with some lighter toned boards and Blackbutt a more creamy appearance with some browner boards possible. Similarly the southern ash eucalypt mixes provide for creamy coloured floors and with some
THE BUILDERS CHOICE alternative methods of construction
boards possibly having a pinker tinge. As such this rich range of tones and blend of colours available from the Australian species is valued and provides floors that are unique and individual to every home. No two floors are exactly the same and for this reason your floor is likely to differ to some degree from photos in magazines or samples that are of the same species or species mix. The grading of timber flooring is another important aspect. The grade of the floor influences the character of the floor and irrespective of whether the chosen grade contains many features or only a few, aspects of production quality do not differ and are maintained to high standards for all grades. It is important to realise that grading does not cover colour or colour variation, but assesses floorboards in terms of the character of the trees history. Grading is therefore about the features present where some grades permit larger gum veins, knots and past borer activity. Many consider that these features add to the character and charm of their floor as it expresses the nature of timber flooring being a real and natural product. In other grades, the cleaner natural lines and figure of the timber will dominate with fewer and smaller features present. It is important to understand that the grade has no influence on a floor’s fitness for purpose in terms of its manufactured moisture content range or machining tolerance. All grades permit some feature and even though it may be named ‘Select Grade’ some gum veins, knots and past borer activity is permitted. How the boards are mixed into the floor both in terms of colour and feature is up to the installer, so any specific views on this should be discussed with your installer prior to installation. Because different features tend to dominate different species, two floors of the same grade may also appear different. Many Australian manufacturers have their own grade descriptions which are similar to those in the Australian standard but will differ in some respects. It is therefore important to be aware of such differences. In addition to colour and grade the hardness of the timber is also often a consideration, more so for commercial floors than domestic floors. The hardness of timber is not directly related to how hard or easy the timber is to work with various tools, but is a measure of the resistance of the wood to indentation. The hardness figures most commonly used are those obtained from the Janka test and from this the different species are characterised as being very hard, hard, moderately hard and soft.
Established in 1993
Amanda – 0418 913 392 amanda@perthtimberfloors.com.au
www.perthtimberfloors.com.au
Your trusted “Boutique” Flooring Company Phone (08) 9271 4363 177 Railway Parade (Corner Central Avenue) Mount Lawley, Western Australia 6050
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 135
THE BUILDERS CHOICE alternative energy efficiency methods of construction
Timber floors renowned for their durability will provide many years of lasting beauty, enhancing both the appearance and value of your home. Each timber floor is also unique and for this reason timber floors are so valued and the feature of many homes.
Those species that are categorised as moderately hard, which include the southern Australian ash species, still provide an attractive and durable feature floor and it is within this category that other species from around the world such as American Maple and European Oak are also included. For some heavy use applications greater consideration should however be given to selecting a species of appropriate hardness to suit the application. The selection of a hard timber species can provide improved resistance to indentation and abrasion. The other species mentioned above including the likes of Jarrah and Spotted Gum lie within the hard to very hard categories. Some are also truly surprised at how hard some species like Ironbark are. It is necessary that hardwood floor owners have an understanding of what can be expected during the installation of the floor, its ongoing performance and the care that will preserve its life. You may live in a drier location or semi-tropical to tropical locality. You may have air-conditioning, heating systems or large expanses of glass with a lot of direct sunlight. To accommodate all these variables different methods of installation are going to be appropriate to different homes and therefore practices used in your installation will often differ from others you may be aware of. For this reason it is important that you select the correct person to install and finish the floor and someone who is suitably qualified and experienced to provide an installation appropriate to your home and the backup that may be needed. As such, in Australia, many installers, sanders and finishers are members of the Australian Timber Flooring Association (ATFA) where they can receive up to date information, training and can easily access those with specific areas of expertise. The installation and finishing should not be rushed as the condition of the timber, climate and dwelling environment all need to be assessed, possible issues rectified before installation and sometimes it is necessary to just wait for the timber to settle to the installation environment. Timber is a not a man made product, it is totally natural and as such, with seasonal changes in weather conditions, it will absorb moisture from the air and swell a little, while during drier conditions it will lose moisture to the air and
shrink a little. It is therefore quite normal for timber floors to show small gaps at board edges, particularly during dry periods or in conditions where say refrigerative air-conditioning is used that can dry the air. Similarly, where there is intense sunlight on a floor or heating systems, drier conditions will be experienced and the floor will respond accordingly. Conversely, there can also be conditions within a dwelling where timber floors will expand a little and for this reason all floors are provided with expansion allowance. There are many simple things that the owner of a hardwood floor can do to maintain the character and beauty of your floor. Curtains, tinted glass or similar should be used to protect floor areas from intense sunlight and mats both inside and out are an effective means of trapping grit which can scratch floor surfaces. Moderate use of cooling and heating systems and avoiding extreme conditions will also result in only moderate changes in a floor’s appearance. In general the conditions that you enjoy living in will also be most suited to your timber floor. Heavy items of furniture need to be carefully positioned without dragging them. Similarly, it should be ensured that the feet of chairs and tables etc have felt pads or protectors applied. A regular cleaning program should also be considered to ensure that your floor remains in pristine condition. Antistatic mops are effective for collecting dust and grit. When it comes to other types of mopping to provide a deep clean, it is best that your floor finisher be contacted. There are many finishes on the market and different products are suitable for different finishes. Timber floors renowned for their durability will provide many years of lasting beauty, enhancing both the appearance and value of your home. Each timber floor is also unique and for this reason timber floors are so valued and the feature of many homes. If you require more information on timber floors, visit the ATFA website www.atfa.com.au. This site contains a wealth of information. The ATFA is not exclusive to Australia and has members in New Zealand, Singapore and the USA. BC atfa: 1300 36 1693, www.atfa.com.au
• Solid Timber Flooring • Engineered Flooring • Timber Staircases • Laminate & Bamboo • Sanding & Sealing • Floor Strip & Removal 136 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
Showroom 8 507 Walter Rd East Morley WA 6062 p 08 9279 8014 f 08 9379 0042 info@flooringiq.com.au
flooringiq.com.au
Classic timber flooring is elegant, timeless and durable
HARDWOOD FLOORS EXQUISITE PARQUETRY ENGINEERED FLOORS BAMBOO CORK LAMINATES
We believe it’s an honour to help you create a home that is elegant, warm and inviting. What you choose for your floors says a lot about your style. It’s not about the products or the cost; it’s about understanding your individual needs. Sam Marafioti, Owner Aarran’s Timber Flooring Solutions
Unit 2 / 18 Enterprise Crescent Malaga, Western Australia 6090 Phone: (08) 9248 5548 Facsimile: (08) 9248 5220 Email: info@aarranstimberflooring.com.au www. aarranstimberflooring.com.au
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 137
ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION
Easier steel framing,
from design to construction
// words nash
Over the 60 or so years that residential steel framing has been used in Australia, steel framing manufacturers have developed a wide range of sections for use as studs, plates, chords, rafters, beams and battens. These sections are used in building design systems developed and subsequently owned by the manufacturer to meet the unique structural designs of projects. Since most manufacturers don’t publish appropriate design tables for their products, it’s hard for designers and builders to specify and construct using multiple sections and systems, especially on smaller projects. Added to this, building surveyors and inspectors can have difficulty inspecting and approving steel framing as they may not have access to the proprietary design specification. What the industry needs is standardised generic span tables and building details for floor, wall and roof framing. This new and simpler information that will make life easier is being developed by the National Association of Steel-framed Housing (NASH) into a new NASH Standard - Residential and Low-rise Steel Framing, Part 2: Design Solutions.
In developing the new Standard, NASH has worked hard to address the needs of a range of different users:
USERS
MAIN USE
Building designers Architects Engineers
Initial design Renovations
Building surveyors & inspectors (Certifiers)
Checking design On-site inspections
Builders Trades
Initial Design On-site modifications Renovations
Steel frame fabricators
Late changes On-site modifications
Trades teachers Builder lecturers
Teaching resource
Owner builders
Initial small design Renovations
Design principles Structures designed and built using the tables and details in the new NASH Standard Part 2 will conform to the requirements of the National Construction Code (NCC). This is assured because the generic span tables in the new Standard are based on the NASH Standard Part 1, which is referenced in both volumes of the NCC. Wind classification is in accordance with AS 4055 and small
138 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
THE BUILDERS CHOICE alternative methods of construction Design in accordance with Part 2 Designer
Building approval Building Surveyor
Construct in accordance with Part 2 design
Redesign in accordance with Part 1
Mixture of redesign to Part 1 & Part 2
Small jobs
Fabricator
Fabricator
Figure 1: Design paths
buildings other than housing may be designed using the equivalent design wind speed calculated according to AS/NZS 1170.2. Supplementary information and guidance is drawn from the NASH Handbook - Design of Residential and Low-rise Steel Framing.
Design paths Manufacturers will continue to design proprietary systems in accordance with NASH Standard Part 1. Where small site changes, alterations or details outside the scope of the
proprietary system are required, a conforming solution will generally be based on NASH Standard Part 2. NASH Standard Part 2 will provide a simple route for engineers, builders, architects and building designers to design and specify the steel frame for a residential or low-rise commercial project. It will assist building surveyors and inspectors in approving and checking the construction, and it will facilitate modifications to the structure during its life. Figure 1 (above) illustrates the available design paths using Parts 1 and 2 of the Standard.
Cutting edge design increases buildings’ energy efficiency Foilboard® Insulation Panels rely on cutting-edge, rigid panel insulation design, combined with reflective air spaces, to increase a building’s energy efficiency. With Foilboard, a builder or home owner has the capacity to create a home or commercial building which exceeds the energy efficiency requirements recommended by the Building Code of Australia. The unique insulation properties of the reflective-foil, insulation panels create an incredibly effective thermal barrier that keeps home owners cool in summer and warm in winter. ADVERTORIAL SUPPLIED BY CLIENT
75mm STUD 1.2 & 1.6 90mm STUD 1.2 & 1.6 ROOF BATTEN 0.5 & 0.7 AND ALL RELATED PRODUCTS
Ph: (08) 9249 8525 Fax: (08) 9249 8522 1/21 Denninup Way Malaga WA 6090 enquiry@liskalsteel.com.au
www.liskalsteel.com.au The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 139
THE BUILDERS CHOICE alternative methods of construction
The new Standard Part 2 will assist engineers, architects and building designers, builders and building surveyors to safely and quickly design, specify, construct and inspect steel framing...
Standardised components Cold-formed steel is very versatile and it can be efficiently roll-formed into virtually any shape. This leads to a great variety in available sections but can create confusion when simple structures need to be designed. Residential builders using masonry, timber and concrete typically work with deemed-to-satisfy building solutions called up in the plans and specifications, while design in steel has frequently required a specific structural design. With such a wide variety of steel sections available, selection tables for steel members such as studs, beams and rafters have previously been seen as impractical. The new NASH Standard Part 2 solution is to standardise sections by their nominal dimensions together with their minimum structural properties. For example, generic C-shaped studs are specified by stud height, axial and bending capacities, with examples given of conforming commercial sections. C-shaped purlin sections used as rafters, joists or bearers are specified by section properties and nominal dimensions. Based on the standardised properties, design tables are generated for a number of standard conditions such as type of roof (sheet or tile), member spacing and span. Standardised building practices NASH Standard Part 2 provides standardised solutions for connections, bracing and service holes. Calculation of wall and subfloor bracing requirements is standardised by providing wind force graphs for specific building surfaces, width of building and roof pitch. Included are: • typical bracing details as well as values for nominal wall braces and structural braces based on test data supplied by industry and research institutions;
•
roof bracing details for pitched roofs, gable roofs and trussed roofs; • fixing and tie-down details including nominal (minimum) and specific fixing requirements; Service holes appropriately placed in steel frames assist rapid installation of plumbing, electrical, communications and other services. Where holes are less in diameter than half the stud depth, rules for minimum spacing of holes are provided. Where original holes are more widely spaced, field holes for additional services will be able to be placed without engineering assessment. A chapter on Durability provides the mandatory requirements for corrosion protection based on industry standard metallic coatings and aligned with the current Acceptable Construction Practice in the NCC. Extra guidance for severe environments is included in an informative appendix. The NASH Handbook also provides guidance to assist designers to develop appropriate durability solutions. The new NASH Standard Part 2 refines this guidance and makes the information readily accessible to a range of users, particularly where materials sourced from multiple suppliers need to be combined into a conforming system.
Where to from here? NASH is confident that its new Standard Part 2 will assist engineers, architects and building designers, builders and building surveyors to safely and quickly design, specify, construct and inspect steel framing for housing and similar low-rise buildings. The first Public Review draft of the new NASH Standard Residential and Low-rise Steel Framing, Part 2: Design Solutions is planned for release early next year. BC Nash: (03) 9809 1333, www.nash.asn.au
Masterwall achieves highest accreditation on the market Remaining at the forefront of the insulated cladding industry, both the MasterWall and MasterWall K Series systems have now achieved CodeMark Certification. The CodeMark Certificate of Conformity is the most comprehensive and complete form of Accreditation that a building system can achieve in Australia and is accepted by all building authorities throughout the Australian building industry. Orchestrated by the Australian Building Code Board, CodeMark certification gives surveyors and building inspectors the absolute assurance that MasterWall systems comply with Building Code of Australia. For clients who choose either the MasterWall or MasterWall K Series, you can be assured that stringent testing has been completed to demonstrate the suitability to the relative performance requirements within both volumes the Building Code
140 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
of Australia as a premium lightweight insulative cladding system. Testing endured by the MasterWall systems ranges from high wind load, cyclonic fatigue. Impacts, weather penetration and bushfire attack. In depth evaluation is undertaken into the specifications and detailing of the systems before the CodeMark certification is approved. With years of proven success in the Australian building industry, more builders are choosing the peace of mind and advantages of a CodeMark Certified MasterWall system fully installed by trained, accredited installers. (Please refer to full page advert on page 3) ADVERTORIAL SUPPLIED BY CLIENT
WINDOW TINTING
Window film
in the fight against solar heat gain // words lisa shearon // images window film association of australia and new zealand (wfaanz)
Believe it or not, the majority of a typical building’s cooling load is from solar heat gain through windows, which is why they have been dubbed ‘thermal holes’ in the past. Untreated windows can be responsible for as much as 87 per cent heat gain inside a room, while up to 40 per cent of a typical home’s energy can be lost through the incorrect use of windows. Few of us could be persuaded to brick up our windows, so how best to conserve energy without losing the natural light and ventilation they provide? The answer lies with solar control film, which can reduce up to 80 per cent of total solar energy entering the building through the windows. Window films can help you meet or exceed Government-mandated energy requirements set in the Building Codes of Australia and New Zealand. In some cases they can outperform tinted or reflective glass in terms of energy efficiency, at a fraction of the cost. What’s more, they have come a long way from the bubbling, peeling and dark limousine style products of days gone by. As
well as protecting a building’s interior from damaging UV rays, window films can usually reduce your energy bills and increase the security of a building. Modern films come in a variety of shades, colours and performance levels, so windows don’t have to be darker to be protected. The best products are guaranteed to survive differing climates, with scratch-resistant coatings for protection and metallic layers for colour stability. As well as blocking solar energy, film can also reduce up to 99 per cent UV radiation and 90 per cent glare, while letting in natural light. So views and the sunshine can be enjoyed without taking a hit on energy bills. By helping to control the temperature, film results in a decreased demand placed on air conditioning systems. In many cases the electricity savings alone mean that window film pays for itself within five years. Other benefits can then follow in reduced cost and frequency of HVAC maintenance or replacement. In commercial sites with multi-chiller systems, the reduced load creates significant redundancy opportunities if the system can run more often on fewer chillers. Engineers are able to model solar control window films in their building energy analysis software, using the manufacturer performance figures for U Value, Shading Coefficient and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient. From these models the engineer can calculate the real electricity savings. The window films commonly used in residential and commercial buildings fall into three categories: solar film, safety/ security film and decorative film. Combinations of the above are also available, such as solar control safety films. Manufacturing advances have led to the development of new products and
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 141
THE BUILDERS CHOICE window tinting
categories, enabling manufacturers to offer 10 to 15 year warranties on many non-residential films and often lifetime warranties on residential applications. Solar film controls the internal temperature of a room or building and ensures air conditioning systems work more efficiently. Ranging in darkness from almost transparent to dark grey, they offer high visibility and beneficial thermal performance. Almost clear, low-reflective films ensure minimal change to the look of the glass and allow light to enter the room, while still providing substantial energy benefits. Low E is a growing field in the film market. Low E coatings work by reducing the flow of radiant heat from the warmer side of a window (inside the room) to the cooler side (outdoors). As well as controlling heat in summer, these products improve the window-insulation properties of glass to offset the loss of free solar heat during winter, thus providing both cooling and heating savings for mixed climate dwellings.
Save up to
15% off
Safety/security films bring old ‘float’ glass up to current Australian Standards. In the event of an accident, the film holds the shattered glass shards together. Safety film is used in buildings around the world to provide protection from accidents caused by shattered windows. When safety film is applied to the interior surface of glass, it holds the shards together if the window is broken. It also helps bring old ‘float’ glass up to current Australian standards for Grade A safety glass in human impact situations.
As low as
2.5-year payback period!*
Up to
80% less heat & glare*
Up to
25%
off HVAC energy costs
your total building energy costs SolarZone Energy Saving Window Film
Make a quick and significant contribution to your building’s energy rating
Our Turnkey program guides you through every step of the way Energy Modeling
Film Installation
Data collection, comprehensive analysis & savings forecast
Non-disruptive, turnkey glazing upgrade by a certified SolarZone installer
Measurement & Verification Pre & post-installation performance tracking
* Example office building energy model results with clear glass and reflective SolarZone window film
Call our energy engineer today to find out how we can help you improve your total building energy efficiency and save money. Phone 1300 456 700 energy@hanitapacific.com.au www.hanitapacific.com.au
142 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
solar zone
THE BUILDERS CHOICE window tinting
Many installers across the country have attained WERS For Film accreditation, making it easier to identify a professional installer trained to give advice on the most suitable film for each application. Bolstering windows with security film helps deter thieves and vandals from entering a building by smashing a window. Similar to safety film, the security film will hold a broken window together and provide a tough tear and puncture resistant membrane to resist entry. Shopping centres, hotels and public buildings have the extra consideration of graffiti. Windows can be extremely expensive to replace every time they are illegally spray painted or etched. Sacrificial window film has been made with the express purpose of mitigating such damage. Almost invisible once installed, the film is a removable, sacrificial surface that can reduce or eliminate the need for expensive glass replacement. Decorative films are used to improve glass in commercial buildings. Office privacy can be achieved with frosted film, while coloured vinyl films are often used in the signage industry. A selection of films available in Australia have been rated within the Window Energy Rating Scheme (WERS), which enables windows to be rated and labelled for their annual energy impact in any climate of Australia. Independent of any one manufacturer, WERS For Film acts as a fair, credible and rigorous system for testing the performance claims of window film. Many installers across the country have attained WERS For Film accreditation, making it easier to identify a professional installer trained to give advice on the most suitable film for each application. Once the film is applied the accredited installer can issue a WERS For Film certificate, which will aid the energy rating if the homeowner wants to sell their home in the future. In many cases, this certificate will help increase the selling price of the property. Window Film Association of Australia and New Zealand (WFAANZ), president, Michael Miller said using WERS rated film would become critical in coming years. “In the next two years Government mandate will require all new buildings to have an energy rating under Mandatory Disclosure laws. Using a WERS rated film and having a WERS certificate will improve a homeowner’s energy rating, which will increase the value of their home and make it more appealing to prospective buyers.” Popular buzzwords in the glazing industry are U Value and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC). U Value is the measurement determining the ability of a window to conduct heat. It indicates how well a window holds in heated or cooled air. The lower the number, the better. SHGC measures how well a product blocks heat caused by sunlight, expressed as a number between zero and one. The lower a window’s SHGC, the less solar heat it transmits. The U Value and SHGC measurements for a variety of films are available in the WERS For Film rating tables at www.wfaanz.org.au/ WERS. BC WFAANZ: www.wfaanz.org.au
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The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 143
WATER EFFICIENCY
Design for
water sensitive living // words department of water
With a little bit of planning and clever design it’s possible to create urban environments that not only look good and need less water, they also help to recharge the aquifer and support river health. By implementing the principles of water sensitive urban design, builders, developers and residents can all contribute to shaping environmentally-friendly and resilient towns and cities. Western Australia, particularly Perth and the South West, faces major challenges as the impact of declining rainfall puts greater pressure on our water resources. This brings new challenges in the way that we live, how we manage the land and how we design our homes and communities. Designs that capture, store and infiltrate local stormwater runoff can play a key role in recharging our aquifers and provide water that is used by households, industries and irrigation via bores. Stormwater can be captured from sources such as drains and drainage sumps within the urban environment. In many localised water sensitive urban design concepts, effort is put into maximising recharge to the superficial aquifer by channelling stormwater run-off for local groundwater use, assisting to support water-dependent ecosystems like lakes and wetlands. By converting stormwater to groundwater, natural filtration processes are able to reduce urban pollutants from the water. Urban environment human-designed bio-filtration areas use the same principles to employ natural materials and vegetation to trap and remove potentially harmful urban pollutants from
stormwater run-off. This is helping our rivers and lakes by minimising the amount of urban pollutants that make it into the waterways and cause problems for ecosystems. In Western Australia we are already seeing the efforts of local governments with many of the state’s 20 Waterwise Councils incorporating localised aquifer recharge and bio-filtration zones into waterwise designs for public open space areas. These include strategic interception of stormwater run-off en route to the river or aquifer. Through partnerships between government and communities in replanting vegetation, retrofitting of old drains and restoring natural drainage features, the health of waterways like the Swan-Canning Riverpark are being greatly assisted. Education on how to reduce pollution into our rivers and aquifers is vitally important. As urbanisation continues to replace the traditional use of land for agriculture, inland waterways and estuaries increasingly face water quality threats associated with urban stormwater run-off. Research into water quality issues associated specifically with urban run-off is currently being undertaken through a State Government partnership with the Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities. The newly established centre aims to make it easier for everybody, including those involved in construction and development, to incorporate water sensitive design principles into the built environment. The research centre is a collaboration between research, government and industry groups to provide leadership in the design and development of attractive and resilient water sensitive towns and cities. It includes policy and planning, technologies, economics, governance and regulatory reform, ecology, urban climate and amenity, and capacity building. Developers, builders and individuals can all take action to implement the principles of water sensitive design whether by
PHOTO (ABOVE): The camber of the road designed to funnel storm water directly back into the swale at Beachridge Estate Jurien Bay (Photo courtesy Ardross Group of Companies).
144 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
THE BUILDERS CHOICE Water efficiency
Design which is attuned for the challenges of a drying climate could also place its proponents at the forefront of a significant shift in community thinking. choosing hardy native plants over thirsty exotics or through large-scale housing developments designed with water sustainability in mind. Design which is attuned for the challenges of a drying climate could also place its proponents at the forefront of a significant shift in community thinking. “Builders who construct homes and communities, which incorporate features such as water wise landscaping and stormwater harvesting systems have the potential to stand out from the crowd and become models for other water sensitive developments,” Department of Water Director Water and Land Use Don Crawford said. “They also have the ability to be more resilient in times of less rainfall and to have better quality of local groundwater for use or to support community environmental assets like rivers, lakes and wetlands.” While some householders may adapt existing properties to better reflect water sensitive design principles, others may proactively seek out housing developments that incorporate water sensitive principles into their landscaping and design. And it’s not just cities which can benefit from well planned, water sensitive design. Rural areas can also benefit. In a number of dryland farming communities, where rain can be variable and at times unreliable, state government funding is assisting in the development of infrastructure to capture and store water. With the capacity to capture and store stormwater, these communities ensure they have enough water for such uses as livestock, irrigation of town open public spaces and fire and emergency services, without having to use valuable drinking water supplies. The ability to capture and store as much water as possible is critical to the agricultural industries that maintain these town economies. BC Government if Western Australia – Department of Water: (08)6364 7600, www.water.wa.gov.au
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The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 145
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Challenging misconceptions in
Double Glazing // words australian window association
There are many misconceptions about double glazing, how it works, where to use it, what purpose it fulfils and is it worth it. Travelling the country, and experiencing all of our climate zones first hand, I frequently hear comments like “our climate is warm so we don’t need it”, or “we have a moderate temperature, so don’t need it”. On the opposite side of the scale I have heard people in colder climates say “it doesn’t work”, I want to try and make the use of double glazing simple. The first misconception about double glazing is the actual use of the term and whether it is the correct terminology used in context. Double glazing is in fact an overall term that refers to various types of two-pane glazing. More commonly, the term double glazing is used to describe: • A dual window system that gives benefits in acoustic performance and energy efficiency - often referred to as double glazing because, it literally has two pieces of glass. • A situation where a secondary piece of glass or an acrylic system has been installed into an existing window, which also gives benefits in acoustic performance and energy efficiency. • An Insulated Glass Unit (IGU), which is a hermetically sealed unit, this means in between the glass panes is a sealed environment ensuring great insulation and no condensation between the glass. IGU’s are used mainly for insulation however the right make up will impact the acoustic performance.
Dual Window Systems These are generally used in areas where the issue is noise; we see many areas in flight paths and around new toll ways installing secondary window systems. The system works in two ways, the introduction of another window with thicker glass gives a barrier to the sound and if an air space of over 100mm is achieved then this has a positive impact on the acoustic performance. Double Glazing This type of system is mostly used in retrofit situations and there are two types seen in Australia. The first is when another piece of glass is installed in front or behind the existing glass by inserting a bead, hopefully some type of desiccant and then sealing in a
146 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
new piece of glass. This type of system that is non-removable is prone to condensation between the glass panes due to the seal not being sufficient for a long period of time. Often the desiccant becomes saturated quickly and then condensation begins to form. This is not a recommended option unless being carried out by an experienced company in this type of installation. Secondary acrylic installation systems are installed inside the window system often by some type of magnetic system. They can be removed to enable cleaning and ventilation of the home when required. Because of this the issue with condensation between the existing glass and the acrylic panel don’t occur. These are a great retrofit solution to improve energy and acoustic performance of windows. (See image 1)
Insulated Glass Units (IGU) IGU’s are the most commonly used double glazed system, as the name indicates these are specifically designed for energy performance. The units are manufactured as a completed unit and are then inserted into a window system that is capable of accommodating the unit. The units commonly have a spacer, primary seal and then a secondary seal although there are some variations to this. This sealing procedure makes the IGU a hermetically sealed unit so it has a dry contained environment inside improving the insulation performance and eliminating condensation inside the unit. If you have an IGU with condensation in the air space then it has failed and needs replacement. I want to focus this article on Insulated Glass Units from here on and explain how they function, how they can be tailor made to perform different functions and why you would want to use them. (See image 2) Function A friend of mine refers to IGU’s as a speed hump; they are put in place and slow down the transfer of heat. In the most basic form an IGU works just like ceiling insulation, it holds air which is better to slow heat transfer than a piece of clear glass. In the most basic form clear glass – air space – clear glass it is the air space that is the insulator.
THE BUILDERS CHOICE energy efficiency
Image 1: Double Glazing
Image 2: Insulated Glass Units (IGU)
Image 3: Solar Heat Gain – SHGC
Glazing reacts thermally in two different ways, heat transfer due to a difference in temperature from inside to outside the building and solar radiation passing through the glass creating heat. The measurements for these are U Value and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC). The lower the U Value the better the insulation performance and the lower the SHGC the less solar radiation passing through.
Tailor made IGU’s If you want to alter the function of the IGU you can do many things, change the glass type to a Low E, alter the size of the air space or add argon gas to improve the U Value. To lower the amount of solar heat gain, simply add tinted glass products and Low E to the IGU. To improve the acoustic values include heavier glass, laminated glass and have a 40 per cent difference in the two glass thicknesses, for example use a 6mm laminated acoustic glass product with 4mm glass in the IGU. To make the product secure and safe include laminated safety glass designed for higher security. The options are enormous with IGU’s to tailor them for the function you require. I often tell people it is a bit like visiting Subway and creating just about whatever you like. What IGU to use In colder climates you want to get the U Value as low as you can afford and have the SHGC high to allow the free energy from the sun to enter the home especially on the North with correct eave protection. This can be achieved by using clear glass, neutral Low E glasses and argon gas. It may be appropriate to reduce the SHGC on east and west elevations depending on the building design. In warmer climates you want to get the U Value as low as you can afford and reduce the SHGC to restrict the heat gain from the
Insulation – U Value
sun. This can be achieved by using tinted glass, tinted Low E and argon gas. Remember insulation is important in air conditioned and heated buildings, meaning no matter the climate IGU’s are an appropriate energy efficient solution and just need to be tailored to suit the climate and elevation. For acoustic performance in IGU’s the air space will not have an impact, so alter the glass types being used and vary the two thicknesses by 40 per cent, use special laminated acoustic glass products and remember the thicker the glass the better it will perform. For security and safety use glass products in the IGU that are developed for these purposes such as A Grade safety glass and special laminates. It is important to understand that when you install an IGU into a window system that the window system will impact on the performance of the IGU. There will be window systems designed specifically for all areas of performance covered in this article.
Why use IGU’s An IGU is still the best solution around the world for varying performance requirements and has been for many years. The use of IGU’s in the right window system will significantly reduce the need for heating and cooling in a building, reducing energy costs. I can say through experience visiting many homes that have used IGU’s the payback for the investment is instant as you feel the difference in the comfort of the home. There are some websites worth visiting with lots more information on energy efficient glazing products www.efficientglazing.net and www.wers.net BC Australian Window Association: (03) 9808 0069 / 0437 967 540, gary.smith@awa.org.au
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 147
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Majestic: An 8.5-Star home
Your 6 star guide to operating an energy efficient home // words sea // images impressions the home builder
As everyone involved in the residential building industry is now aware, the Building Code of Australia now requires that all new homes built in Western Australia attain a minimum 6-star energy rating. Despite the heated discussions that preceded the change, the vast majority of building companies have embraced the new standards. The homeowner is a winner under the new standards as well, because 6-star homes represent genuine long-term savings, both in terms of energy and money. The benefits are even wider reaching, as reducing energy consumption also helps minimise the production of greenhouse gases emissions. Now that the energy efficiency standards are business as usual, and people are moving into their new 6-star homes, forward-thinking building companies have started to consider how to help customers get the best performance out of their new house design. For example, BGC has recognised that rising household costs, such as electricity, represent a cost that can ultimately add up to more than the purchase price of the home and can have a significant effect on overall housing affordability. This led BGC to partner with the Sustainable Energy Association to release Your 6-Star Guide to Operating an Energy Efficient Home. This guide, which is a sequel to one published in 2011 focused on building an energy efficient home, provides a wealth of tips for homeowners on ways to operate their homes in order to save both energy and money.
www.seaaus.com.au 148 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
BGC’s Executive General Manager, Kelvin Ryan, says, “Across our group of housing companies we took a supporting position on 6-star design standards for energy efficiency because we knew it would help people save money and have an environmental return. With the cost of energy bills increasing, it’s important that we assist the community with operating their new homes. Ultimately, everyone wins.” This article reproduces some of the tips included in Your 6-Star Guide to Operating an Energy Efficient Home. The full publication is available for public download from the Sustainable Energy Association website at www.seaaus.com.au.
Getting the Most Out of a New Home The guide provides great advice about ways the homebuyer can work closely with their builder, who knows precisely which features will make a new home as energy efficient as possible. It also provides energy-saving information about solar panels, outdoor areas, and vehicle use. One area in which builders may be able to add value for their customers and get the best out of the home’s design is to influence the new home’s fit-out. Air conditioning and heating Heating and cooling is the biggest energy and cost guzzler in a new home. In addition to providing advice about the most efficient temperature settings for heating and air conditioning, the guide suggests the most important thing is to install a system that’s the right size. From there, it helps to divide the home into manageable zones so only rooms that are used are heated and cooled. If a hot day is forecast, it’s better to turn on air conditioning before the maximum temperature is reached, which keeps the system from working too hard. The same goes for heating – turn it on early if a cold day is forecast. Another helpful tip is to avoid heating bedrooms overnight, as studies have shown that in general, cooler temperatures promote sleep.
THE BUILDERS CHOICE energy efficiency
Insulation There is little point to heating or cooling a home if the energy used simply escapes through the roof. As home builders know, roof insulation acts as a barrier to keep homes warm in the winter and cool in the summer – statistics suggest that the homeowner can save up to 45 per cent on heating and cooling energy with roof and ceiling insulation. Of course insulation isn’t only about roofs and ceilings. Increasingly, builders are installing wall insulation, which can help save an additional 20 per cent of heating and cooling. Water Heating Water heating for showers, baths and washing clothes accounts for around a quarter of typical household energy use. As with air conditioning systems, it’s important to choose the right size system, which includes taking into account future needs – such as teenagers’ hot water use! The guide stresses that gas-boosted solar hot water heaters are the most environmentally friendly and cost-effective, and mentions that leading builders will often package solar hot water heating as a standard inclusion. Other good choices for hot water heating may include high-efficiency gas heaters and heat pumps. Appliances Building a new home often means buying new appliances and white goods. Your 6-Star Guide to Operating an Energy Efficient Home explains the ‘star rating’ systems that are used to indicate the energy and water use of appliances. The more stars on the sticker, the more energy- or water-efficient the appliance. But what’s really helpful to the
Serenity: An 8-Star home
customer is understanding that it’s still important to compare ‘like with like.’ For example, a large fridge/freezer may have more stars than a smaller model. While this means the big fridge is more energy efficient, it still might use more power overall than the smaller one.
Window and Floor Treatments Builders have long known that window glass is the thinnest barrier between the inside and outside of a home, and as such, can be responsible for over-heating interiors on hot, sunny days and quickly removing heat on cold days, or as night approaches. The guide encourages homeowners to consider pelmets with well-fitted curtains or blinds that are close to the glass and extend beyond the window frame on both sides. It goes on to suggest that although tiled floors (which are very popular in WA) are great in many ways, carpets, rugs and even some
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To find out more about how these innovative products can improve your impressive designs visit www.calidad.net.au The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 149
THE BUILDERS CHOICE energy efficiency
timber flooring materials are usually more energy efficient for heat retention.
Lighting Around 7 per cent of household energy is used to produce lighting in the average Australian home. The introduction of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), mains voltage halogens (MVHs) and light emitting diodes (LEDs) has led to a substantial drop in power use from lighting. What many aren’t aware of is that light fittings are also important. Some can block more than 50 per cent of the light
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and prevent it from illuminating a room. The guide encourages homeowners to work with their builder to select fittings that allow the maximum amount of light through – and to clean them regularly. Further, it’s important to make maximum use of natural light by opening window dressings during the day, and using light-reflective surfaces and pale carpets and furnishings. Skylights in bathrooms, kitchens, and stairwells are also a great way to maximise natural light.
And Much More Your 6-Star Guide to Operating an Energy Efficient Home also includes a do-it-yourself gas and electricity audit, a maintenance checklist, and a list of useful websites. Making this information freely available to the public is a win all-around. The homeowner reaps the rewards of using energy wisely, including saving money and improved comfort. The home builder can add value to the customer relationship by helping them understand how to operate their home efficiently, which in turn influences long-term housing affordability. And of course our environment benefits through reduced emissions. Kirsten Rose is the Chief Executive of the Sustainable Energy Association of Australia (SEA), a peak body for the sustainable energy industry and for enterprises supporting sustainable energy. BC SEA: (08) 9228 1292, www.seaaus.com.au
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150 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
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The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 151
THE BUILDERS CHOICE building products & services
Our unique 47mm-high Roman Briks help your building stand out and your courses fit in. All Brikmakers 47mm-high Lloyd Wright Collection bricks line-up perfectly with conventional single and two-course brick construction.
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152 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
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THE BUILDERS CHOICE building products & services
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Buy your own new Polyjohn PNJ3 Chemical Toilet from $1760 INC and receive a free box of waste tank treatments... OR Hire a site toilet for $4.52per day* with fortnightly servicing included
Instant toilets & & showers – your business is our business& The portable sanitation specialists in Australia are clearly Instant Toilets & Showers. With an unparalleled range of products to suit any situation, the team at Instant Toilets & Showers knows what they are talking about. From a single chemical toilet for a building site, through to a self-contained toilet or ablution block for remote locations, Instant Toilets & Showers have the right products in stock in Western Australia. Instant Toilets & Showers design, manufacture and hire or sell all of our products. Because they know the intricacies of portable ablutions, the company can supply exactly what you need and advise if you are unsure of your requirements. Ensuring their products are well maintained, clean and hygienic has been a number one priority for the company since its inception. By undertaking continual research and development, Instant Toilets & Showers ensure that they have the most modern and hygienic toilets and showers available anywhere in Australia. As the WA distributors for the Polyjohn range, Instant Toilets & Showers can sell or hire you any type of toilet, shower, transportable toilet or ablution facility you might need. And for builders who wish to own their toilets during the course of their projects, the team at Instant Toilets & Showers can provide special, hassle-free packages at the best price. A discounted rate for regular cleaning and servicing is available to all purchasers of a new toilet from Instant Toilets & Showers. Indeed, from initial purchase through to delivery, collection, regular cleaning and servicing and the storage of the units between projects, dealing with Instant Toilets & Showers is very much a worry-free and cost-effective experience. Instant Toilets & Showers operates its own fleet of service trucks to ensure that a high standard of cleanliness and prompt, regular servicing is maintained for its customers. Contact the friendly team at Instant Toilets & Showers at (08) 9406 6600 any time, or visit the company’s website at www. instanttoilets.com.au for more information about its products and services.
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154 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
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THE BUILDERS CHOICE building products & services
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Phone: (+61) 08 6363 5953 Fax: (+61) 08 9331 3384 Email: gary.grimes@octagonlifts.com.au
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Goodwill Engineering has over 30 years of experience in the building hardware and component industry, and are therefore able to provide quality products and sound technical advice to assist you with your housing and construction needs. Goodwill Engineering has been working closely with the building and construction industries for over 30 years and has experienced a steady growth in our business capabilities to meet the demands of our customers. The range of products we offer through our relationship with hardware stores throughout Western Australia allows you the peace of mind that if we don’t stock the product, we can make them to your specifications.
Quality hardware products to meet your specifications
Goodwill Engineering supplies a range of certified products that meet Australian Standards 3700; building products including a large range of standard cavity ties, masonry veneer ties and the ability to manufacture masonry ties to meet your engineering specifications, masonry and timber connectors, hoop iron and flashing, and a range of commercial products that can be made to suit your engineer or architects requirements. Goodwill’s fully equipped manufacturing facility in Western Australia is able to provide a wide range of custom made hardware and light engineering products to meet your construction and maintenance needs.
For more information contact: Doug Ennis – Production Manager Phone: (08) 9249 3444 www.goodwillengineering.com.au
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 155
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156 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
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THE BUILDERS CHOICE building products & services
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9535 3576
www.mandurahtileandstone.com.au
PROVIDERS OF WATERPROOFING to CIVILS, INFRASTRUCTURE, COMMERCIAL, RETAIL & RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS & FLOORING, JOINTING, CONCRETE REPAIR & PROTECTION, STRUCTURAL STRENGTHENING, GROUTING, BUILDING REPAIR & REFURBISHMENT
Polyseal Waterproofing (WA) Pty Ltd P: 08 9418 1079 F: 08 9434 6753 Unit 1, 45 Howson Way, Bibra Lake. WA 6163
w w w.p olyseal.com.au The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 157
THE BUILDERS CHOICE building products & services
We’ve Got You Covered On Cabinet Protection Retail Merchandising Solutions
Automatic • Retractable • Removable • Permanent Lighting • Cable Gates • Bollard Systems Plastic Bollards • Roller Door Clamps • Swing Gates Handrails • Speed Humps • Wheel Stops • Bike Rails
Elite Bollard Systems and Traffic Management Solutions Custom Planters & Letterboxes Powder Coating & Blasting
One Company ... Three Services
‘Little Man’ 90 Degree Panel Corner Protection • Manufacturing and protection system all in one – built-in extruded aluminium components actually add strength and beauty as they cut manufacturing costs and improve quality and durability. • Simplified construction/assembling – requires only a single pass on a standard hand router, allowing for components to be assembled faster, with fewer steps. This requires less shop space and equipment. • Cut the use of costly skilled labour without sacrificing quality and design flexibility. • Extrusion Length – 5000mm (can be cut to your required length) Standard finish – 10um clear anodised. Powder coating to order.
P: 9353 4392
E: info@yellowmetal.com.au www.yellowmetal.com.au E: info@ramguardbollards.com.au www.ramguardbollards.com.au Unit 3, 51 Division Street Welshpool, WA 6106
PANEL JOINER – AP 8020 Provides a neat butt joint for MDF panels of various thicknesses. Machine Board with standard slotting cutter. System tool available.
LAMINATE EDGE PROTECTOR – AP 8024 Round / AP 8025 Square
Small aluminium profile for protecting the top edge of laminate surfaces. System tool available.
CALL TODAY FOR INFORMATION ADP STORE FIXTURES Head Office: 33 Tamara Drive, COCKBURN CENTRAL WA 6164 P: (08) 9411 0999 F: (08) 9414 9484 E: sales@adpstore.com.au
www.adpstore.com.au 158 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
Specialising in:
SHOWERS I MIRRORS I ROBES I SPLASH BACKS
P: 0422 130 313 E: info@atglass.com.au
www.atglass.com.au
THE BUILDERS CHOICE building products & services
Residential & Commercial Elevators & Dumbwaiters C O R A L STO N E I E X P O S E D A G G R E G AT E R E C O N S T I T U T E D L I M E S TO N E
P: 08 9404 7333 F: 08 9404 7555 E: info@bonitastone.com.au
www.bonitastone.com.au
flooring decking custom milling More than 25 years in lift manufacturing, installing and service, enabling us to provide a wide range of imported lift solutions through to individually designed lifts for home, residential and commercial applications.
reclaimed
recycled
restored
Bringing old timber back to life
1300 864 760 U5/14 Bally St Landsdale, WA 6065 sales@prestigeelevators.com.au
30 Jackson St Bayswater WA 6053 P: 08 9279 4377 | F: 08 9279 4388 E: sales@recycledtimber.net.au
www.prestigeelevators.com.au
www.recycledtimber.net.au
Lifting expectations, installing confidence
Specialising in WA hardwoods – Jarrah, Karri, Marri, Wandoo and Blackbutt
The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 159
THE BUILDERS CHOICE building products & services
Tough floor surfaces for all usage PM Spray-On Paving is a WA-family-owned-and-operated company offering flooring solutions for a variety of industrial, commercial and domestic non-slip applications. Our unique, non-slip concrete resurfacing products are ideal for any surfaces, including steps, ramps, walkways, entertainment, wet areas, kitchens and showrooms. An epoxy polymer floor surface provides a decorative, internal flooring alternative, great for restoring uneven, or worn concrete. This is ideal for high traffic areas as it has a high resistance to wear and will not harbour bacteria as most other floor coatings can. This is one of the reasons it is highly recommended for food-processing and entertainment areas, workshops, shopping
centres and schools. Add value and appeal to your home with our large range of colours, patterns, and borders, custom logos, motifs, fleck colours or other special effects and eye-catching features to create an original and striking surface. PM Spray-On Paving also offers a variety of internal flooring solutions for your home or workplace, or wherever your surface needs may be. With our large range of colours and finishes, you are bound to find the best finish to suit your needs. Call now for our consultation and advisory service to make sure you know ALL the facts! ADVERTORIAL SUPPLIED BY CLIENT
CONCRETE RESURFACING SPECIALISTS • Custom non slip flooring • Decorative non slip concrete resurfacing in wide range of colours and patterns • Decorative epoxy polymer flooring • Top quality products and workmanship • Epoxy & Polyurethane coatings for concrete, steel, timber & tiles • Domestic, commercial & Industrial applications • Custom logos and motifs
INTERNAL
EXTERNAL
SHOWROOM: Unit 2/84 Callaway Street, WANGARA P: 08 9303 2701 F: 08 9303 2702
www.pmsprayonpaving.com.au
Industries Pty Ltd PREVIOUS & PRESENT PROJECTS Hollywood Hospital Joondalup Health Campus Burswood Hotel Complex (Presidential Suite) Burswood Hotel Complex (Club Rooms and River Suite Rooms) Subiaco Church of Christ Peppermint
Grove Library and Community Learning Centre Burswood Hotel Complex (Atrium & Buffet Restaurant) Burswood Lobby Stage 2 Burswood Japanese Restaurant Stella Stage 2 Apartments Sky Salon (Burswood) Day Spa (Burswood)
BUSINESS CENTRES INDIVIDUAL & PARTITIONED OFFICES RECEPTION AREAS SUPERMARKETS THEATRES 160 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
p (08) 9343 8755 e bravoceilings@bigpond.com Unit A/9 Canham Way Greenwood WA 6024
THE BUILDERS CHOICE building products & services
LEADING PERTH MANUFACTURER OF CUSTOM GARAGE DOORS
GLASSCAPES stylish • creative • unique
ALUMINIUM DOORS Contain exclusive aluminium frames to ensure a great looking door COLORBOND DOORS Choose from a wide range of Colorbond colours, or we can powdercoat or paint to suit any home TIMBERLOOK DOORS Add value and character with Designer Garage Doors’ timberlook range and effects treatment WESTERN RED CEDAR DOORS Sealed and stained prior to assembly
CONTACT US NOW FOR A FREE QUOTE Unit 7, 15A Success Way, Wangara WA Ph: 9303 4599 or visit www.dgdoors.com.au
SPLASHBACKS FRAMELESS SHOWER SCREENS MIRRORS SLUMPED GLASS COMMERCIAL GLASS COATING IMAGESCAPE PRINTED GLASS POOL FENCING & BALUSTRADING P. 08 9302 2425 F. 08 9302 2180 Unit 1/67 Motivation Dve, Wangara WA 6065 E. info@glasscapes.com.au
www.glasscapes.com.au The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 161
THE BUILDERS CHOICE building products & services
Elegant & Modern Custom Garage Door Solutions
Elegant and modern our doors are tough and visually appealing adding beauty and value to any home or building. • • • • • • • • •
Custom Made Garage Doors Colorbond Roller Doors Industrial Doors Amplimesh Underground Parking Security Parking Gates 24/7 Emergency Service Garage Door Repairs Parts, Remotes and Accessories
Email: tgdcustomdoors@hotmail.com
Free measure and quote call 0421 177 863 Phone: (08) 9248 6650 • 2 Lorries Court, Malaga WA 6090 • www.towergaragedoors.com.au
Make every meal a breeze...
Summer is all about outdoor living and Jason Windows are the experts at creating your seamless alfresco lifestyle. From stacking doors to bifold kitchen servery windows, we have the design solutions to ensure a truly indoor, outdoor experience 76284 acorndesign.com.au
31 Sheffield Road (cnr Dampier Road) Welshpool Ph: 9351 3400 Opening Hours - Mon to Fri 8:00am - 5:00pm Sat 9:00am - 12:00pm
www.jasonwindows.com.au
162 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
Open Saturd ay till noon!
THE BUILDERS CHOICE building products & services
In the dark? Choose a company with experience...
Metro and all areas.
Commercial Residential Industrial Maintenance Free quotes
REGS PLUMBING & GAS Luca Dumitru
Phone 0406 100 353 email regsplumbing@gmail.com
Domestic Commercial Solar Industrial
phone 0433 064 550
TOTALWATERPROOFING Services
HOME LIFTS I SCENIC GLASS LIFTS COMMERCIAL PASSENGER LIFTS PLATFORM LIFTS WHEELCHAIR & STAIR LIFTS I GOODS LIFTS CUSTOM DESIGNS I SCHOOLS & MUNICIPALS REFURBISHMENTS I COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE
SERVING YOU SINCE 1994 More than 30 years experience Commercial waterproofing for all applications Internal waterproofing
Design, Supply and Installation of Quality Elevators
External waterproofing From basements to rooftops Liquid membranes to sheet membranes Mastic work, silicone work etc
Proud to be in association with the Cockburn Central feature
Contact Us Today Ivo Peer Mob: 0405 322 426 Fax: 08 9403 5068 totalws@optusnet.com.au Adam Peer Mob: 0412 477 917
24/7 SERVICE TEAM ON CALL IF YOU NEED THEM
PERTH – 08 9350 6500 ALBANY – 08 9842 8844 E: sales@liftdesign.com.au www.liftdesign.com.au The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 163
THE BUILDERS CHOICE water efficiency
164 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
LEISURE
tradies corner
Shooting the breeze Blow out the cobwebs at WA’s only shooting complex in Perth. Lone Ranges Shooting Complex is one of the safest, recreational shooting facilities in Australia. Famous guns such as the Browning, Beretta, Glock, Smith & Wesson and Desert Eagle are available. Customers also have a choice of cowboy-style rifles and shotguns which can be used to test accuracy. Lone Ranges can organise social or business functions and team-building exercises, and it can easily cater for recreational groups of friends wanting to compete against each other. Discounts are offered to groups of 10 or more and all packages include firearm hire, ammunition, safety equipment and basic training. There are also special mid-week packages available.
REAL
ADVERTORIAL SUPPLIED BY CLIENT
SHOOTING
REAL
GUNS
We offer you the thrill of learning to shoot a variety of rifles, shotguns, revolvers and semi auto pistols in the security of our indoor complex. We cater for Corporate, Groups, Bucks and Hens Parties.
107-109 Robinson Ave BELMONT WA 6014 TEL (+618) 9277 9200 FAX (+618) 9277 9211
www.lrsc.net.au
WE CATER FOR ALL TYPES OF OCCASIONS. If you’re having a work function or a party, call us!
FOR YOUR CHRISTMAS PARTY CATERING CONTACT MARIO 0424 779 669
PASTA DISHES
Lasagna, Napoletana, Bolognaise, Cabonara, Marinara, Chicken Arrabiato
MEATS
Veal & Chicken Cutlets
PIZZA’S & GARLIC BREADS The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012 165
THE BUILDERS CHOICE directory listing AIRCONDITIONING
CEILINGS & PARTITIONS
CONCRETE
ZENON KURZECKI
“YOUR ONE STOP SHOP” Mechanical Services Commercial & Domestic Design & Manufacture Supply & Install Air Conditioning Services Property Maintenance RTA No. AU22817
9242 1298
www.elvins.com.au admin@ronley.com.au
CRANES
CONCRETE
Unit 15/16, 213 Balcatta Rd BALCATTA WA 6021
POLISHED FLOORS, WALLS, TOPPINGS AND BENCHTOPS
T. (08) 9240 7887 F. (08) 9240 7890
ph. 0448 870 338
E. actioninteriors@iinet.net.au W: www.actioninteriors.net.au
www.concretemode.com.au
PO Box 629, BALCATTA WA 6914
EARTHMOVING
LIGHTING
6/43 Buckingham Drive Wangara WA 6065 P: 08 9309 2653 F: 08 9309 1371 M: 0417 901 271 westmarble@westnet.com.au
PAINTING
Terry Brown Managing Director Mobile: 0407 733 822 Email: terryscranes@iinet.net.au
Terry’s CRANE HIRE PTY LTD
YOUR ATTACHMENT SPECIALIST
For all your crane hire needs 24 Hour Services
Specialist lighting design & supply
For all crane bookings, please contact Michael on:
P. 08 9279 7762
SKIDSTEER ATTACHMENTS
F. 08 9279 7742 PO Box 122, Glen Forrest WA 6071
www.himacindustries.com.au
PLASTERING
SCAFFOLD
CUPIT’S PLASTERING
Call 1800 888 114
INDUSTRIAL • COMMERCIAL • RESIDENTIAL Labour & Hire • Labour Only • Hire Only
RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL • RETAIL
156A Cobb Street Doubleview WA 6018
SIGNS
WINDOW TINTING/INSULATION
Window Tinting Car, Home + Office
Reject Heat by up to 75% Save Energy by up to 30% Reduce Glare Increase Privacy Block Damaging UV Rays Reduce Fading
COMMERCIAL & DOMESTIC All aspects of solid wall plastering Interior & Exterior Float & Set Sand Finish Rendering New Builds & Renovations
cupitsplastering@hotmail.com
(08) 9446 6923 (08) 9446 6932 0419 966 170
Solar Film Benefits
SOLID WALL PLASTERER
Mobile: 0415 390 633 Tel: 08 9304 0644
T: F: M: E:
ENERLOGIC WINDOW INSULATION FILM 33 Buckley Street Cockburn Central WA 6164 Ph 08 9417 2474 Fax 08 9417 2484 Email perthscaffolding@iinet.net.au www.perthscaffolding.net.au
166 The Builders Choice Magazine – December 2012
SOLACE tel: (08) 9330 1015 fax: (08) 9330 4044 myaree@sol-ace.com.au
www.sol-ace.com.au
In the dark? Choose a company with experience...
Metro and all areas.
RPG
REGS PLUMBING & GAS Commercial Residential
PHOTO nickthake.com
Industrial Maintenance Free quotes Luca Dumitru
Phone 0406 100 353 email regsplumbing@gmail.com
benefits
Millboard... the new generation of decking Capturing the charm of real wood but eliminating many of its shortcomings for outdoor environments, Millboards are moulded from prime oak samples, replicating the beautiful qualities of the originals rather than just extruded from a machine, as standard composites are. Each board is hand-finished to reproduce the detail of natural wood with minimal repetition and can be sawn and fitted like wood.
• Made using eco-friendly materials • Maintenance free - requires no upkeep • Highly anti-slip in the wet • Does not rot, splinter or warp • Does not host algae growth • UV weather stable • Resistant to food and drink stains • Intricate natural woodgrain detail • Invisible ‘lost head’ fixing • Wide choice of designs and colours
Specialist Building & Timber Supplies Tel: (08) 9455 1234 Fax: (08) 9256 3613 Email: info@conceptproducts.com.au 26 Catalano Road Canning Vale WA 6155 www.conceptproducts.com.au