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
construction

NAWIC raises concerns about protection of women in construction

Minister for Workplace Relations Tony Burke has announced the Government’s intention to initially defund and eventually abolish the Australian Building Construction Commission (ABCC). From 26 July “its powers will be pulled back to the bare legal minimum”. The ABCC has been responsible for the enforcement of the Building Code, a code of practice which sets out the Commonwealth Government’s expected standards of conduct for all building industry participants that seek to be, or are, involved in Commonwealth funded building work. There have been many arguments for and against the ABCC’s powers to p... more
cycling

Why cycling lanes should be on the fast track for cities

The benefits of more cycling infrastructure pedal themselves, says a UNSW urban design expert. You might’ve noticed more cycleways rolling out around town recently. Whether it’s a designated path alongside a main street or spray-on white lines and traffic cones cordoning off a portion of a back street, these car-free paths for cycling fans are becoming fixtures of street design. Although cycling for everyday transport has been gaining traction for a while now, it can still cause a stir whenever plans for a new cycle path are announced. But when it comes down to the benefits of cycling lanes, it’s no ... more
Tunnel construction

Tunnel construction provides transport solution as population density grows

There’s a whole lot of thought that goes into subterranean and underwater tunnel construction, says UNSW expert. Hidden beneath every major city are networks of underground tunnels. Many of them are used daily by commuters on trains, or light-rail or travelling by road. The tunnels help to keep vehicles off the condensed city streets and for traffic to flow more freely across urban areas. This year, the NSW State Government committed to investing $120 billion in infrastructure projects over the next decade, with almost $77 million set aside for transport projects. WestConnex, Australia’s largest inf... more
reduce energy costs

Six steps building operators can take to reduce energy costs

As Australia accelerates commitments to net zero emissions, there are some steps owners and operators of large commercial buildings can take to improve environmental impact, reduce carbon emissions and reduce energy costs.  With inflation putting many businesses under increasing cost pressure and having flow on effects to consumers, building optimisation and efficiency is a key measure to reduce operational expenditure while boosting the sustainability performance of built assets. David Walsh, founder and CEO of CIM, says improving the energy efficiency of buildings has two possible approaches: capital ex... more
Building Code

Interim Building Code takes effect from today

On Sunday, Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke announced the Federal Government would make changes to the Building Code, stating it was a “step towards ending the unfair treatment of building and construction workers”. Under the change, the Australian Building and Construction Commission’s (ABCC) powers will be pulled back to the bare legal minimum. Some of its powers will go back to the Fair Work Ombudsman and to appropriate health and safety regulators, while some will be scrapped altogether. This is a step in the government’s election promise to abolish the ABCC, with legislation expected to... more
licensing

Survey finds Canberrans support developer licensing

An overwhelming majority of Canberrans want the ACT Government to get tougher on property developers and urgently introduce a licensing regime, according to new polling conducted by RedBridge and commissioned by the CFMEU ACT. The survey of 985 Canberrans, which has an error margin of 4.4 per cent, found: 77% of Canberrans want the government to introduce a new license which would require property developers to demonstrate financial capacity to complete any proposed developments and a commitment to ethical behaviour (versus 10% against) 77% of Canberrans agree (56% strongly agree) that property develo... more
apartment

One in three apartment builds left stranded by broke builders

A new research report released today shows Australian property buyers are demanding a major shake-up in insurance protection from builders going broke who leave apartment buyers to pay for costly apartment defects. A survey of 1,100 apartment buyers – which took in buyers in South Australia – shows one in three buyers have seen their original builder go broke in the last 12 months, leaving them stranded with no builder warranty or insurance to fix defects. Australia’s peak body for apartment owners, Australian Apartment Advocacy, has just finished research with 1,100 apartment owners Nationally who l... more