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November 30, 2011

Precast Concrete Delivers Award Winning Results

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , — tom @ 10:09 pm

Public buildings in Australia are synonymous with precast concrete. It is a rare sight these days to see a public building which hasn’t been constructed using some element of precast. From libraries to university buildings to opera houses to stadia to shopping centres to railway stations to convention and exhibition centres, an enormous number of designers have turned to precast to meet the challenge to provide an architecturally stunning structure which is fast to build yet durable and sustainable.

That designers recognise the many benefits of precast concrete is paying off. The smart designer not only uses precast walling, flooring, beams and columns for the economy of scale and speed of construction it allows in the project that invokes repetition of design, but increasingly for the architectural freedom it inspires for the bespoke structure that will make a mark and win awards. The more difficult the project, the better suited precast can be.

Case in point are the public building winners of the Australian Institute of Architects National Architecture Awards.

Topping the 2011 list of award winners was the recipient of Australia’s most prestigious national architecture award – The Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture – which was awarded to the Australian War Memorial Eastern Precinct in the ACT. The building features diamond-rubbed black polished precast concrete panels, columns and beams, plinth walls, off-form grey bollards, precast seats and off-form grey raised planters, all manufactured by S.A. Precast.  Also a winner in the 2011 Awards was AAMI Park in Melbourne which took out the National Award for Public Architecture. The robust stand is a combination of different forms of concrete, including precast seating plats, precast stepped seating units, and precast panels supplied by Westkon Precast and hollowcore precast flooring made by Hollow Core Concrete.

In previous years it was a similar story. 2010 saw the precast-laden Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre winning the National Award for Public Architecture and in 2009 the prestigious Zelman Cowen Award was again won by another precast project –Canberra’s National Portrait Gallery with its abundant precast portals and beautiful polished cladding panels made by Precast Concrete Products.

Whilst precast public buildings are winning awards in our own back yard, they are also being credited internationally with the well-deserved recognition to which they are entitled. The World Architecture Festival Awards in recent years have seen several precast winners including the Berry Sports Hall winning the Sport Award in 2009. The National Portrait Gallery also won a 2010 fib Award for Outstanding Concrete Structures.

Is it any wonder why designers are choosing precast.
By: Sarah Bachmann
National Precast Concrete Association Australia

http://designbuildsource.com.au/precast-concrete-delivers-award-winning-results?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=precast-concrete-delivers-award-winning-results

November 25, 2011

Sustainable Fitouts and Product Stewardship

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , — tom @ 4:40 am

Sustainable fitouts can be achieved in a variety of ways but have traditionally focused on reducing environmental impacts through the installation of energy and water efficient appliances and operating systems. Many of the energy and water efficiency measures are now standard practice and often legally required. The focus has now shifted to the use of sustainable materials, largely due to high churn rates associated with interior fit outs.

Targeting the consumption of resources through selection, use, reuse and efficient management practices of building and fitout materials is crucial for project managers working on green building developments. The various environmental and human health impacts arising from building materials are reduced when use of virgin materials is limited and special attention is given to the selection of ecologically and health-preferable materials. Product stewardship is also an emerging key concept in the closer examination of products for the built environment.

For manufacturers, this includes planning for, and if necessary, paying for the recycling or disposal of the product at the end of its useful life. This may be achieved, in part, by redesigning products to use fewer harmful substances, to be more durable, reuseable and recyclable, and to make products from recycled materials. Design for disassembly is a newer design concept that embodies these ideas. For retailers and consumers, this means taking an active role in ensuring the proper disposal or recycling of an end-of-life product.

With the release of the Green Building Council of Australia’s (GBCA) new Fitout Calculator, products that go inside a building, such as furniture and flooring, have never been more scrutinised. There is a growing demand for evidence of the consideration of the whole life cycle of a product such as the materials used to make it, how it is manufactured, and what happens to the product when it is no longer wanted. The key aim of the GBCA’s Fitout Calculator is to reduce the impact of churn rates on fit out items with a heavy emphasis on product stewardship. This is encouraged through the maximisation of Green Star points via reused products and certified products that have product stewardship policies.

A good case for the value of third-party certification of fitout products can be made when further reviewing the GBCA’s Fitout Calculator. If new products are being used in a Green Star Project fit out, they must be certified to be able to achieve 100% points. This was not the case with the old calculators, meaning that certification becomes more valuable as new, uncertified products cannot achieve this score.

Products that bear the Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) Ecolabel have been independently assessed as environmentally preferable. The GECA Ecolabel offers an accessible and convenient way for architects, designers, retail managers and stylists alike to choose certified products for use in fits outs, by providing instantly recognisable, trusted environmental credentials.

GECA’s Standards, against which products are certified, are developed in accordance with ISO 14024 and are based on global best practice, as are all of GECA’s 38 standards for products and services. The standards determine minimum environmental performance criteria across various aspects of a product or service’s life cycle, such as sourcing, manufacture, use and disposal.

GECA’s Furniture and Fittings Standard, for example, specifies that products should be designed for disassembly or reuse and repurposing, and requires product stewardship practices to be put in place. The GBCA, has actually recommended that product manufacturers review their current policies in relation to product stewardship, and make the necessary preparations to ensure products are able to comply with the criteria of the new Fitout Calculators.

Focus on fitout items is helping address the issues of sustainable production and consumption which in turn, can ultimately have significant impacts on everything in our natural world from raw materials to the issue of growing waste.

http://designbuildsource.com.au/sustainable-fit-outs-product-stewardship?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sustainable-fit-outs-product-stewardship

November 23, 2011

Mining sector fuels surge in construction

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , — tom @ 10:08 pm

SPENDING on construction is expanding as its fastest pace on record, as a torrent of investment flows into the country’s mining hot spots.

The value of construction work completed in the September quarter soared by 12.5 per cent to $47.5 billion, the biggest jump in the 25-year history of the figures, the Bureau of Statistics said yesterday.

The resource industry drove the surge, with the value of major engineering projects up by 22.6 per cent in the quarter and almost 50 per cent in the last year.

Despite Europe’s financial woes casting a cloud over Australia’s economic outlook, the increase suggests economic growth was robust in the latest September quarter.

Engineering construction – such as infrastructure and mining projects – makes up about 7 per cent of gross domestic product, and the sector is set to play a growing role as the resource boom takes off.

Economists said the rise – concentrated in Western Australia – underlined the resilience of the mining boom in the face of growing market unease about Europe.

Ben Jarman, an economist at JPMorgan, said the figures were further confirmation that mining investment was not being deterred short-term financial market fears.

But he said consumer spending and confidence would be vulnerable to Europe’s debt crisis in the months ahead.

”We’ve got a lot of bad news still to come through the pipeline,” Mr Jarman said.

The mining powerhouse of Western Australia drove much of the growth, as the value of major infrastructure projects completed in the state has almost doubled in the past year alone.

Western Australia is by far Australia’s fastest-growing state, according to separately released official figures showing its gross state product grew 3.5 per cent in 2010-11 compared with the national average of 2.1 per cent.

The ACT was in second place at 2.8 per cent followed by Victoria at 2.5 per cent and New South Wales at 2.2 per cent. Queensland’s economy shrank 0.2 per cent as a result of lost mine production due to the floods and cyclone.

Southbank skyscrapers ire

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , — tom @ 10:05 pm

SOUTHBANK could soon be the precinct that skyscrapers killed, residents fear, with planning applications lodged for three giant towers – one almost as tall as Eureka Tower, Melbourne’s tallest building.

Planning applications have been lodged in recent weeks for a 71-storey tower with 592 apartments and 566 car parking spaces at the site of the Queensbridge Hotel, Southbank.

The proposed Queensbridge Tower would be the second-tallest building in Melbourne at 275 metres.

A stone’s throw away at 25 Queens Bridge Street, an application has been lodged for a 66-storey mixed-use development and at nearby 54-56 Clarke Street an application has been lodged for a 56-storey mixed-use development.

The planning applications come as Melbourne City Council considers a new planning blueprint for the area, including mandatory height controls.

Southbank Residents Group acting president Joe Bagnara warned Southbank was becoming little more than termite mounds filled with people.

”You go to central Australia and see these huge pillars … thousands and thousands of residents inside these high-rise buildings,” he said. Mr Bagnara said the area needed proper planning. ”Where’s our football ground, where’s our playground, where’s our piazza, where are all the things that are needed to make living comfortable,” he questioned. ”It will be worse than Hong Kong,” he said.

The proposed Queensbridge Tower will be built adjacent to the Freshwater Place residential tower at Southbank.

Peter Renner, from the Freshwater Place body corporate, said: ”Our residents are absolutely outraged and appalled that something that size could be built within eight metres of Freshwater Place.”

”The complete western side, 248 apartments, would suddenly be completely blocked from the sunlight,” he said.

The applications will be decided by Planning Minister Matthew Guy.

Finding the green premium

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , — tom @ 3:06 am

AUSTRALIA’S valuers have confirmed the hype: going ”green” definitely increases the value of an office building.

In fact, the buildings that are worth the most are those that have the best energy rating, the Australian Property Institute found in a report that it said was the first rigorous assessment of green office buildings in Australia. Buildings with low energy ratings lost value.

The study, which focused on Sydney and Canberra, said office buildings with a 5 star NABERS energy rating created a premium of 9 per cent, while 3-4.5 star rating gave a 2-3 per cent premium in value. The Green Star rating showed a green premium in value of 12 per cent.

NABERS (National Australian Built Environment Rating System) measures energy and water use in existing buildings, while Green Star evaluates the environmental design and construction of buildings.

The API was the lead group for the study, which was headed by Richard Bowman, senior API committee member and a partner in real estate services with Ernst & Young. He headed a panel of experts – mainly valuers in each state – that represented big estate agents and valuations firms.

Jennifer Cunich, executive director of the Victorian division of the Property Council of Australia, said that year on year, its data indicated that green buildings were preferred over lower performing buildings.

“There are many factors that are driving green building demand such as tenants, lower operating costs, higher yields, healthier workplaces, rating tools (NABERS and Green Star), corporate social responsibility and enhanced productivity,” she said.

“Significantly, many CEOs are leading this green building race as they seek to differentiate themselves from their competitors.”

Other key findings of the API report were:

  • Lower NABERS ratings (fewer than 3 stars) showed a major discount in value in the Sydney CBD (10 per cent discount) and Canberra (13 per cent).
  • In NABERS 5 star, Canberra had the largest green premium (21 per cent), and the biggest discount (13 per cent) in the lowest NABERS energy ratings.
  • In rents, the Green Star rating had a 5 per cent green premium.
  • Big discounts in rents in the lower NABERS ratings for the Sydney CBD (9 per cent) and Canberra (6 per cent).
  • In 5 star NABERS, Sydney CBD had the largest green premium (3 per cent).
  • Green premiums were also evident in reduced vacancy, reduced outgoings, reduced incentives and smaller yields, particularly in the higher NABERS categories.

The study found green premiums in value differed in specific office markets. For 5 star NABERS, it was most evident in suburban Sydney (8 per cent green premium), Canberra (21 per cent). The impact in the Sydney CBD was less – 4 per cent.

It also found these premiums in values and rents were generally comparable to those in recent US studies.

The study evaluated 206 NABERS-rated office buildings and 160 non-NABERS buildings in Sydney and Canberra. Of these, Sydney CBD accounted for 90, Sydney suburban 91 and Canberra 25. They included premium, A, B and C grade, and 97 per cent were greater than 2000 square metres.

For Green Star, the analysis used 23 4-6 Green Star buildings for the ”office design” and ”office as built” categories, but was limited by the amount of rental information available.

The study was prompted by concern about the impact of the property industry. It said buildings contributed up to 23 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions, 40 per cent of energy requirements, 16 per cent of water usage, 30 per cent of solid landfill waste, 40 per cent of raw materials and 71 per cent of electricity consumption.

November 21, 2011

Cundall ramps up its ESD consulting in Perth

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , — tom @ 5:50 am

Australia’s largest specialist ESD consultant Cundall has opened a base in Perth, with design and software development expert Dr Mark Pitman to head up its West Australian operations.

Despite its involvement in many high profile sustainable projects in Western Australia over the years, including the recent fitout of 140 William Street, this is the first time Cundall has established an office in the state.

“This is a critical time for the building industry in Perth as the city is literally evolving as we speak. There are numerous major projects in progress that have the capacity to change the face of Perth forever and the opportunity to have an impact from a sustainability point of view on the future of the city is both rare and exciting,” Dr Pitman said.

“We are committed to making Cundall a focal point for leadership in sustainability in the Perth market. By facilitating an open door policy for the industry in our new office, we want to encourage everyone with a passion for sustainable design and development to leverage our national and international experience and help realise a sustainable vision for Perth,” he added.

The Melbourne Southbank, Triptych  building was designed in conjunction with Cundall, with the design of the apartment complex including natural cross-flow ventilation, co-generation, water harvesting, ‘low e’ double glazed windows and sustainable flooring material.

Chief Executive of the Green Building Council of Australia, Romilly Madew, commented: “While WA already has some ‘green icons’, such as 2 Victoria Avenue and the GPO Building Refurbishment in Perth, as well as local government leadership from councils such as the City of Gosnells, more work is needed for WA to compete with the rest of Australia in the sustainability stakes.”

Dr Pitman has previously undertaken design roles on numerous high profile projects in

Western Australia including the 6-star Green Star Durack 2, the 5-star Green Star 140

William Street, Fiona Stanley Hospital, the Northbridge-link masterplan and the Port Oakajee development.

His experience in sustainability is seen as a perfect fit with Cundall as the business seeks to evolve further into a specialist sustainability consultancy focused on driving collaborative innovation and knowledge sharing throughout the industry.

Aside from his new role with Cundall, Dr Pitman continues to own and operate ODS Engineering, a business which develops software for energy efficient building design, while also lecturing in Building Science in the Architecture Department at Curtin University.

http://www.architectureanddesign.com.au/Article/Cundall-ramps-up-its-ESD-consulting-in-Perth/532536.aspx

Cancer Centre | Revolutionise VIC Healthcare

Filed under: Victorian Projects 2011 — Tags: , , , , , — tom @ 5:47 am

The latest release of the UN’s 7 billion population estimate, really puts into perspective just how varied this world is becoming. Although connected through communication modes more now than ever before, individuals of this world seem to be increasingly disconnected. We have different jobs, goals and fundamental beliefs; but there is perhaps one sad reality that we can all relate to, cancer.

In the fight against this disease, which took 7.6 million lives in 2008 alone, the Victoria government and industry have banded together to progress to the next generation of cancer research and care.

Cancer is Victoria’s number one killer. It is only logical that steps must be taken in order to develop world class means of “prevention, detection and treatment” as stated by the government.

Their mode of defence has been the construction of a state cancer centre with a project value of $1.07 billion. The Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) located in Parkville on the site of the former Royal Dental Hospital (which was demolished in August 2010 pending the VCCC’s construction) will become one of the country’s greatest healthcare projects, with a huge budget and even greater consortium of collaborative partners. These include the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne Health, The University of Melbourne, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Walter and Eliza Institute of Medical Research, The Royal Women’s Hospital, The Royal Children’s Hospital and Western Health.

In order to cater to the hospitals extensive capabilities, the construction efforts are to be in the extreme; as to be expected of a billion dollar plus budget project.

The cancer centre will include 196 inpatient beds, 110 same-day patient treatment places, eight medi-hotel beds, 25,000 plus sqm of specialised cancer research space, 24 treatment places in a clinical trial facility, education and training spaces, outpatient clinic and treatment centre, eight radiation bunkers a 700 space car park.

What the industry and government partners are aiming for is a central treatment centre for cancer patients, state and country wide. It is also planned to facilitate growth, research and inpatient support.

It is incredibly positive to see infrastructure developments of this nature. As the population expands, it has been noted (in our recent article ‘Can Global Infrastructure Cater to 7 billion people?’) that it is becoming paramount that the industry and government alike provide facilities that deal with healthcare, increase longevity and quality of life.

The final stages for architecture and contractor tenders are underway, with the official statement regarding both as yet to be released.

http://designbuildsource.com.au/victoria-billion-dollar-cancer-centre?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=victoria-billion-dollar-cancer-centre

November 18, 2011

Australia’s First Carbon Neutral City | Sydney

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , — tom @ 3:33 am

Australia is often criticised for its slow action when it comes to climate change. We hold the dubious title of the highest carbon emitters per capita in the developed world and were rather sluggish to become involved with a carbon tax. That being said, a huge change is being undertaken in this country, and although we had a slow start, it is safe to say that Australia has an incredibly strong green presence.

This point has been overwhelmingly brought home yet again, as Sydney achieves the incredible feat of becoming Australia’s first carbon neutral city. While the City of Sydney has for some time now shown a carbon track record to be proud of, the Lord Mayor Clover Moore has announced that the city is finally carbon neutral.

A Sydney with zero carbon emissions?

The idea seems completely unrealistic, but through incredibly innovative means they have reached carbon neutral status under the National Carbon Offset Standard. The magic word is ‘offset’, without which the city would not be classified as such. The idea of a carbon offset is achieved by buying carbon credits through the construction and use of green technologies.

This fits into the council’s three-part plan, which was devised in 2008 in order to reach their current net zero status. This includes four key elements of ‘measure, avoid and reduce, switch green and offset’.

The first step has been achieved by creating a complete running inventory of all of the city’s energy usage and carbon emissions. It works as a dual process, both offering to inform goals and targets, as well as offering to verify claims of carbon neutrality.

The second step includes a total downsizing of energy consuming technologies and moves to retrofit ‘brown’ spaces. The step also includes a focus on energy efficient means through LED street lighting and further community energy efficiency projects.

Switching to green and offsetting are two steps that have merged into one, the latter relying on the former. The carbon offset has been reached through key technologies such as wind farms and $12 million worth of solar panels projects; credits accumulated through the application of these green practices offsetting the city’s actual carbon emissions.

This has amounted to a 210,000 tonne reduction in carbon emissions due to offsets and the implementation of the energy efficient practices mentioned above.

This is, however, not the end for Sydney. Although they have reached their current goals the Lord Mayor has made it clear that this is one of many achievements that Sydney hopes to obtain.

“We are on track to reach one of the most ambitious emissions reduction targets of any Australian government – 70% by 2030 from 2006 levels” Moore says.

Latest released statistics show that if the rest of Australia were to follow suit a drop of 40% in carbon emissions towards long term climate change could be achieved.

http://designbuildsource.com.au/australia-carbon-neutral-city?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=australia-carbon-neutral-city

First look at Melbourne’s growth areas

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , — tom @ 3:31 am

The Victorian Government has released its long awaited Growth Area Corridor Plans and the Biodiversity and Conservation Strategy for Melbourne’s Growth Areas.

The Property Council welcomed the Victorian Government’s release of the Growth Area Corridor Plans which provide the overarching planning framework for Melbourne’s urban growth corridors.

Following significant delay, the release of the Growth Area Corridor Plans has ended a period of uncertainty felt by all stakeholders as the Victorian Government’s plans for land use, transport, and infrastructure are revealed.

Jennifer Cunich, Victorian Executive Director of the Property Council, commented that, “The Victorian Government has a responsibility to provide the community with its vision for Melbourne’s growth areas so that people are able to fully understand the opportunities and challenges Victoria faces as we grow.”

The Growth Area Corridor Plans provide a high level overview of potential infrastructure provision, transport corridors, employment and residential land uses as well as biodiversity values for Melbourne’s growth corridors. The Corridor Plans do not contain a timeline to fund or deliver the Victorian Government’s vision.

“Timely delivery and implementation of this vision will be vital to the success of Melbourne’s urban growth areas. So far the Victorian Government has not outlined how it plans to fund or deliver its vision,” said Ms Cunich.

“The community and industry will welcome these Corridor Plans but if we are going to create truly successful neighbourhoods in Melbourne’s growth areas, the Victorian Government must provide a program to plan, fund and deliver its vision, ” said Ms Cunich.

Property Council is encouraged by the economic analysis that has been undertaken by the Growth Areas Authority with regard to employment patterns which has fed into its land use planning. The same level of analysis however, has not been undertaken to determine the impact of biodiversity in Melbourne’s growth areas.

“Biodiversity must be dealt with strategically and the Victorian Government must fully understand the economic impacts of its policies before these policies are implemented. Consultation will be the key,” urged Ms Cunich.

The Victorian Government has a responsibility to consult widely with all stakeholders, including members of the industry and the community; without consultation the current uncertainty will continue and the Victorian Government will place the positive working relationships that currently exist between the public and private sectors at risk.

Property Council will be holding an industry briefing titled Improving Biodiversity in Melbourne’s Growth Areas on 6 December 2011 at which both the Growth Areas Authority and the Department for Sustainability and Environment will present.

http://www.propertyoz.com.au/vic/Article/NewsDetail.aspx?p=16&id=5005

November 16, 2011

Architecture Competition | Flinders Street Station

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , — tom @ 9:37 pm

The dreams of many an architect have come true with the state government’s announcement that a design competition will be held in order to “breathe new life into a Melbourne landmark”. That landmark in question would be Melbourne’s most iconic feature, Flinders Street Station. In addition to the incredible challenge of undertaking a restoration of the great building, the competition holds a $1 million prize pool.

In a statement regarding the competition, premier Ted Baillieu cites the city’s precinct orientated planning mentality as the catalyst for the full-scale renewal competition.

“We are looking for the world’s best ideas to restore and reinvigorate the Flinders Street Station precinct, including the station concourse, platforms and historic administration building and through to the Banana Alley Vaults and Queensbridge,” says Baillieu, “this precinct calls for creative brilliance from across the globe so a Melbourne landmark site can be restored to its full potential. This competition will harness the very best ideas and help bring the precinct back to life”.

In addition to bringing this area, as well as the station at large, up to new building code standards, the main goal for the winning submittal will be the aforementioned ability to create communication between Flinders Street Station and surrounding precincts. Over the past ten years, the City of Melbourne have put in an enormous industry effort to update areas from federation square, across to the current Southbank redevelopment, and a link between these new precincts is paramount to the Premier.

“We see a rejuvenated Flinders Street Station as a partner to Federation Square, forming a new gateway public space for Melbourne and embracing potential major improvements to the Yarra’s northern bank and the CBD-river pedestrian routes” he says.

The state government have outlaid further areas under which the winning submission will be judged. These include:

  • returning the station to its former glory and re-using under-utilised areas;
  • restoring and protecting the station’s heritage;
  • improving the transport function of the station, catering for future growth;
  • creating a significant civic space while allowing for a distinctive and memorable architectural outcome with a mix of uses;
  • better integrating the station with its surrounding precincts; and
  • providing a value-for-money solution.

The space to feature as the key element for the refurbishment is the four-storey administration building. At 250 metres by 10 metres, the space, which is partly occupied by Metro Trains Melbourne, has been for the most part unoccupied since the 1970’s.

“After years of neglect, the administration building has been left derelict while access and facilities are well below an acceptable standard” says Baillieu.

This will be an important focus for redevelopment, as it stands as a waste of space in one of the busiest sectors of Melbourne.

While key areas for redevelopment have been highlighted, the entire 4.7 hectare space is open for designers to work on, keeping in mind the icon status of the building; its heritage nature inciting the term ‘refurbishment’ rather than reconstruction.

The judging panel will include both esteemed architects and city planners strictly run under the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) guidelines.

Designs for the competition can be submitted by mid-2012, to be reviewed with shortlisted projects to be resubmitted in more detail in early 2013.

The public nature of the competition is an incredibly insightful move by the government, as the station is arguably the most recognisable symbol of Victoria and public interest in the workings of the redevelopment will be apparent.

For more information on the competition visit www.mpv.vic.gov.au

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