News

  • NEWS

    Bricks and mortar take on tone and texture in award-winning WA designs

    Think Brick Awards honour creative use of bricks, blocks, pavers and tiles as preeminent building materials. Think Brick Australia held its annual Awards recently, with the 2022 showcase ‘A time to build, ... more

  • Premier’s

    NEWS

    Innovative solutions finalists in the Premier’s Sustainability Awards

    Innovative solar solutions, a world-first pilot project using geothermal technology, and an inner-urban community battery are a few of the entrants embracing energy innovation in this year’s Premier’s Susta... more

  • NEWS

    DIA’s Australian Graduates of the Year Awards 2022 winners revealed

    The Design Institute of Australia has announced the Australian National winners for its flagship program for emerging designers—the Graduate of the Year Awards 2022 (GOTYA). From 181 ambitious nominations... more

  • NEWS

    Australian designers praised for diversity, environment and social impact

    The Design Institute of Australia (DIA)—Australia's peak national design body, released the recipients for its highly sought-after Designers Australia Awards 2022. The final winners out of a shortlist of ... more

  • Bricks and mortar take on tone and texture in award-winning WA designs
    16 Aug, 2022
  • Innovative solutions finalists in the Premier’s Sustainability Awards
    12 Aug, 2022
  • DIA’s Australian Graduates of the Year Awards 2022 winners revealed
    12 Aug, 2022
  • Australian designers praised for diversity, environment and social impact
    12 Aug, 2022
property

Consortium supports lifting energy performance standards for new homes

An alliance of more than 100 property, community, health and environmental organisations has today issued a forceful call to the country’s Building Ministers to lift the energy efficiency of new homes built in Australia. The powerful joint statement, released two weeks ahead of a National Building Ministers meeting, urges the Commonwealth, State and Territory Ministers to use the meeting to confirm amendments to the National Construction Code. The proposed changes would increase the minimum energy efficiency requirements for new homes from a 6 to 7-star energy rating and have the potential to slash the a... more

Progressive Melbourne building group awarded Best Place to Work 2022

Privately owned, Melbourne-based construction firm Kapitol Group has been named the 2022 Wrk+ Best Place to Work, the first time a construction company has ever topped the list. Kapitol beat over 120 businesses from a variety of industries to secure the top spot, in recognition of its genuine commitment to transform the construction industry for the better. This is particularly impressive and unique in a sector notorious for a culture of long work hours, burnout, and poor gender diversity. This national award, endowed by Wrk+, is generated from a survey that interviewed over 59,000 employees across al... more
Project to focus on retention of women in construction industry

NAWIC celebrates gender officially on the tender

The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), the peak body for women in construction, has applauded announcements by the Victorian and more recently Western Australian and Australian Capital Territory governments to include gender equality as part of their procurement policies. The Victorian government released its Building Equality Policy with a mandated target of three per cent women in trade roles, seven per cent in non-trade labour, 35 per cent women in management and supervision, and four per cent female apprentices for all publicly funded projects greater than $20 million by 2024. Ther... more

Architects at frontline of climate change battle: ‘Ready, willing and able’ – Sean Godsell

Internationally acclaimed architect and Australian Institute of Architects’ 2022 Gold Medallist, Sean Godsell, will embark on a national speaking tour next month with climate change key to his agenda. Godsell will begin his Gold Medal tour at the National Gallery of Australia in the ACT on 16 August, before touring capital cities around the country. The Gold Medal is the Australian Institute of Architects’ highest honour. It recognises distinguished service by architects who have designed or executed buildings of high merit, produced work of great distinction resulting in the advancement of archit... more

A guide to managing residential build costs in today’s market

With increasing market volatility, rising construction costs, and disrupted supply chains, Australia’s residential construction industry needs more upfront focus on financial risk than ever before. Much has been said in the media lately about the rising costs of construction – particularly around residential builds. A recently published article shows the cost of a new house rose by a record &76,715 in April from a year earlier. Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (AIQS) chief executive officer Grant Warner said this was not the result of a single issue. Warned continued: “[It is] rath... more
bricks

Waste products used for bricks can save money and resources

Firing bricks and making mortar and cement is very costly and resource intensive, but organic chemists at Flinders University are working on more sustainable alternatives – focusing on building materials made from waste products. In another move into the circular economy, researchers from the Flinders Chalker Lab have used low-cost feedstocks to make lightweight but durable polymer building blocks which can be bonded together with an adhesive-free chemical reaction. Their latest study tested the strength of these materials and explored ways they can be reinforced in construction. Matthew Flinders Prof... more
inflation

Australia’s builders respond to record rise in inflation

According to figures released yesterday, Australia's annual consumer price index (CPI) inflation increased to 6.1 per cent in the June quarter, due to higher dwelling construction costs and automotive fuel prices. New dwelling prices recorded their largest annual rise since the Australian Bureau of Statistics commenced its CPI reporting in the June 1999 quarter. Price rises continue to be driven by high levels of building construction activity combined with ongoing shortages of materials and labour. Fewer payments of government construction grants compared to the previous quarter also contributed to the rise... more