As Australia embarks on an unprecedented $213 billion public infrastructure investment spree over the next five years, a quiet yet significant transformation is underway in how security screening is integrated into commercial and civic projects.
Traditionally seen as a mere aesthetic or secondary element, screening is now being reimagined as a multi-functional, performance-driven feature vital to safety, sustainability, and design legacy.
Amplimesh, a leader in advanced screening solutions, highlights this evolution.
Kurt Kavanagh, National Sales Manager at Amplimesh, explains: “Architects, engineers and governments alike are reassessing the role of screening as a primary design feature.
“What we’re seeing is a move toward products that are as technically capable as they are architecturally flexible, delivering safety, durability, and design expression all in one.”
This shift is especially pronounced in high-density urban and transport projects where every design element is scrutinised for its broader contribution.
Screening now goes beyond filling structural gaps; it shapes airflow, controls light, enhances public safety, and reduces long-term operational expenses.
Moreover, these systems can potentially lower upfront construction costs by integrating multiple functional requirements early in design.
Fire safety has become a prominent driver of this change.
Fire attenuation screening is playing a critical role in limiting flame and radiant heat spread between buildings in densely packed developments.
By ensuring compliance with fire separation regulations while preserving ventilation and architectural intent, fire-rated screening is fast becoming standard practice.
Further, stricter Australian building codes and standards in bushfire-prone regions are intensifying demand for fire-resistant screening to protect buildings and infrastructure from ember attack, radiant heat, and windborne debris — without sacrificing airflow and visual openness.
The CSIRO’s National Bushfire Intelligence Capability (2024) underlines the urgency of this need, noting that Australia’s fire seasons are becoming longer and more severe.
Community safety concerns are also reshaping screening design in public spaces. Along transport corridors and civic precincts, screens are engineered to prevent falls, deflect debris, and provide anti-throw protection.
Balancing safety with aesthetics is crucial to gaining community acceptance, pushing designers to prioritise impact resistance and higher safety standards in their selections.
For stakeholders like specifiers, architects, and manufacturers, the imperative is clear: choose screening solutions that endure harsh conditions — from high wind loads to impacts — while offering durability, minimal maintenance, and whole-of-life value.
Achieving this demands early collaboration among design teams to integrate screening efficiently without cost overruns or delays.
Reflecting this new mindset, Kavanagh remarks: “In the past, security screens were often value-engineered out, or added late in the process.
“Now, they’re being baked into the concept phase or engineered to be part of the building or structure’s DNA.
“And that’s where real innovation is happening.”
Across Australia, this approach is being adopted in projects from overpass redevelopments to education campuses and rail corridor upgrades.
These advanced screening solutions are not just functional components but visible commitments to community welfare, durability, and superior building outcomes.
The evolving marketplace challenges manufacturers and designers to innovate while controlling budgets and timelines, emphasising pre-testing to Australian Standards, adopting modular designs, and selecting adaptable materials for diverse site conditions.
As the nation’s infrastructure pipeline gains momentum and ESG (environmental, social, and governance) criteria become mandatory, screening is shedding its traditional “afterthought” status.
It is rapidly emerging as a strategic, creative, and essential tool within commercial and civic design frameworks.
