Finding the right career path can be a daunting process for anyone and often comes down to opportunity and experience. With this in mind, contractor Multiplex has given students and graduates the chance to develop construction skills in a mentoring atmosphere on the new $139 million project to design and construct the University of Canberra Public Hospital. In partnership with the Australian Training Company and its subcontractors, Multiplex have implemented a trainee and apprenticeship program to mentor a broad range of 10 trainees to develop new skills and receive fully certified qualifications. Multiplex has set ambitious targets for the project, committing to 10 per cent of all construction hours being undertaken by apprentices and trainees, with half of those directed towards youth at risk. As well as supporting apprentice and trainee participation, the program aims to give... more

Safety innovation and mental health and wellbeing are becoming increasingly important components of occupational health and safety management. One in five Australian employees reported that they have taken time off work due to feeling mentally unwell in the past 12 months, due to stress, anxiousness or depression. Also, innovation, whether in processes, technology and/or approaches to people, is becoming more and more crucial in helping to solve ongoing problems and ensuring employees go home safely after work. The upcoming Safety in Action Tradeshow will tap into these key health and safety topics, by introducing three new dedicated safety zones. each zone will include free, tailored seminar programs to educate today’s OHS Professionals. Next to the Safety Innovations and Mental Health and Wellbeing program, the third safety zone will focus on case studies of current major safet... more

UniSA researchers have secured one of only eight prestigious ARUP Global Research Grants to further a project that aims to deliver an innovative product-service system business model to provide changeable, adaptable parts of buildings via a ‘cloud data platform’ linking physical components to virtual models. The one-year research project is expected to revolutionise the building industry, not only creating new business opportunities in the service sector, but also deriving more value from built resources by their reuse, adaptation and life-cycle stewardship. Led by Adjunct Associate Professor David Ness, the multi-disciplinary team comprises Dr Ke Xing, Dr Ki Kim, John Gelder, Adam Jenkins and Dr Xing Ma from UniSA, in association with Dr John Swift, head of Prismatic Architectural Research (and inventor of some core concepts). Assoc Prof Ness says the concept for the proj... more

The latest industry forecasts released by the Australian Construction Industry Forum (ACIF), show this important industry for employment is moving quickly through two peaks in activity with a less fevered period of activity coming. The ACIF Forecasts for May 2017 show that Engineering Construction is midway through a sharp downslide. Demand in the sector that includes mining-related construction, plus roads, rail and other large infrastructure is coming off a record-breaking peak driven by the mining development boom to take second position behind Residential Building. Residential Building is in the middle of its own boom. This has pushed growth beyond the housing fundamentals and a downturn is on its way. “Synchronisation of the dominant cycles in the construction market is clear when you look at the change in work done,” said Kerry Barwise, Head Forecaster for ACIF. “Growth... more

The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) the Passive House Institute (PHI), and the Australian Passive House Association (APHA) have agreed to work together to promote ultra-low energy buildings. Passive House (Passivhaus) is a voluntary building standard that delivers comfortable, energy efficient and affordable buildings – of all types – that require little energy for heating or cooling. A typical Passive House uses 80 per cent less energy than standard practice. “The Green Building Council of Australia recognises that the Passive House approach delivers an integrated approach to thermally-comfortable, super-efficient buildings,” says the GBCA’s Head of Market Transformation, Jorge Chapa. “Passive House demonstrates that we can deliver high levels of comfort and efficiency without significant increases to costs. As our industry works towards a carbon zero fut... more

In a construction market where budgets are forever under pressure, the use of timber materials in combination with offsite construction approaches can be a genuine silver bullet for astute builders. Richard Smith, Associate Director of MBMpl says where timber wins compared to conventional concrete and steel approaches for major projects is firstly the speed of construction. Using a combination of prefabrication and contemporary timber materials such as cross-laminated timber, glulam and laminated veneer lumber can result in around 40 per cent less time on site. That means revenues coming in earlier from either rents or residential sales. As research carried out on behalf of Forest and Wood Products Australia by the Timber Development Association in conjunction with University of Technology Sydney and leading architects and engineers including Arup and AECOM has shown, there is also... more

A world-class health facility, an activity rich rainforest house and a tent house nestled in the Noosa hinterland have been awarded top honours at the 2017 Sunshine Coast Regional Architecture Awards. Announced at a special ceremony in Noosa , the Sunshine Coast University Hospital by Architectus Brisbane and HDR Rice Daubney as Sunshine Coast Architects received the Gabriel Poole Award for Building of the Year. In awarding the project the jury described the Hospital, which embraces its natural surroundings, as ‘an exemplary world class health and educational facility that puts patient experience and well-being at its forefront’. "This is a public building which strives for local use and social engagement through the provision of green corridors, public outdoor spaces and community infrastructure. Sunshine Coast House of the Year was awarded to Mitti Street House by James... more