The $2.7 billion Homes for Victorians initiative is the Victorian government’s response to the housing affordability crisis. It aims to renew public housing and address homelesness and, on completion, will help 19,000 people who are homeless or at risk of being homeless.
The first stage of the renewal will see 68 social housing units constructed on long-vacant land in Stokes Street and Penola Street, Preston. The development comprises 22 residential apartments with 28 bedrooms which will see a 10 per cent increase on the public housing previously provided on the two streets. The original housing was built in the early 1940’s and demolished between 2008 and 2012.
Big River Group (BRG), along with its system partner, The Tilling Group, was able to offer a complete solution for the flooring and walling systems for this project by builders SJ Higgins Group.
Flooring
MaxiFloor® is an AAC flooring product that provides excellent structural, thermal and fire-resistant properties. The use of the MaxiFloor panels leads to faster construction times and decreased site costs as their lightweight makes them safer to work with and easier to install. It’s designed to provide a superior flooring solution by utilising it’s strength and acoustic properties. The result is a quiet floor without the squeakiness, bounce and flex that you find with particleboard flooring.
MaxiFloor is non-combustible and meets the National Construction Code inter-tenancy airborne and imact sound insulation requirements. It’s available in 75mm and 50mm panels providing an ideal base for almost any floor covering. The panels provide a solid feel under foot, the closest feel to a concrete slab without the substantial cost of concrete or the ongoing costs of heating and cooling a property with concrete.
The panels have exceptional thermal insulation properties offering four times greater thermal resistance than standard house bricks. The amount of energy required to heat and cool and the cost associated with doing so is greatly reduced. The acoustic insulation is up to seven decibels greater per surface area than other solid building materials of the same weight. This is particularly important in multi-residental housing such as the Homes for Victorians project where 1800×600 panels were used and covered an area of approximately 5000sqm.
Walling System
Big River Group worked closely with The Tilling Group from the very beginning of the project on the estimating and engineering of the walling system for the project. TecBeam®, a unique, light weight steel and timber composite structural beam that functions more like a steel beam, was used throughout the build. The MaxiFloor panels are then laid on top of the beams and fit seamlessly.
“It’s exciting to see this project come to life as it nears completion,” explains Ray Ferretti, National Product Manager, Big River Group. “Despite some challenges along the way the Homes for Victorians initiative is coming in on time and on budget.”
“MaxiFloor and TecBeam can provide an affordable alternative to traditional concrete and steel buildings and offers builders the option and flexilibity to explore lightweight construction as a real alternative to concrete slab floors without compromising any performance criteria.”
For more information visit www.bigrivergroup.com