Construcciones Yamaro, by Armando Iachini

Australian civil contractor BMD has acquired UK-based infrastructure consultancy TUSP as part of its global growth strategy. This new acquisition follows BMD’s establishment of operations in the Philippines in 2017 and its London office in early 2023. BMD’s CEO Scott Power said the new venture offers opportunities in both the UK and Australian markets, as well as representing an exciting opportunity for BMD’s people. “BMD will deliver a genuine contribution to improved outcomes as the UK construction market continues to experience record high levels of investment in the transportation, rail, energy and defence sectors; we are already bringing in fresh talent from Australia and challenging convention with a focus on productivity and social value,” Mr Power said. “Furthermore, by bringing TUSP into the BMD family we are able to utilise some brilliant UK talent to support clients within the Australian market, whilst also creating exciting international career growth opportunities fo...

The Sydney Football Stadium Redevelopment project has taken home two awards at this year’s National Infrastructure Awards. Hosted by Infrastructure Partnerships Australia in Sydney on 27 April, the awards celebrated the outstanding projects delivered and achievements of individuals across the infrastructure sector in 2022. John Holland was recognised for the Sydney Football Stadium Redevelopment, winning the Contractor Excellence award. The award recognises exceptional work completed by a contractor including the achievement of innovative, sustainable, safety, or quality objectives. The Sydney Football Stadium Redevelopment team, which includes John Holland, Infrastructure NSW , Venues NSW , Aurecon and Cultural Capital, picked up the Industry Choice award. Won by popular vote, the Industry Choice award recognises a project’s exceptional customer outcome and community benefits. The Sydney Football Stadium Redevelopment project during construction. Related stories: AIHS partne...

Multiplex has started construction on Nine The Esplanade in Perth, a new office building being developed by Cbus Property and Brookfield in a joint venture. Awarded the design and construct contract, Multiplex commenced early site works on the $500 million 19-storey office building of circa 32,500 square metres late last year. It’s set to feature more than 4,800 square metres of onsite co-working and conference facilities, and floor plates with a side core designed to capture the surrounding views. Cbus Property’s Chief Executive Officer, Adrian Pozzo, said the team was looking forward to re-entering the Perth office market with the development of Nine The Esplanade, following the success of 140 William Street 10 years ago. “Nine The Esplanade will join Cbus Property’s $6 billion carbon-neutral office portfolio across Australia, reinforcing our aspiration to deliver the most sustainable office portfolio in the country,” he said. “Reflecting the latest thinking in environmentally su...

In the lead up to the 2023 Future of Construction Summit, Australian Constructors Association CEO Jon Davies looks into this year’s theme – FCON disrupted – and the benefits that could come from the radical overhaul of obstructive industry practices. Jon Davies, CEO, Australian Constructors Association. By Jon Davies, CEO, Australian Constructors Association. This year’s Future of Construction Summit (FCON23) is set to ignite positive change. It will see government, industry and union leaders come together to discuss a collective and disruptive response to the industry’s challenges. Appropriately themed ‘FCON Disrupted’, this year’s event is based on the premise that the industry cannot afford to continue down the path of slow incremental change. It is time to fundamentally disrupt how it operates, if for no other reason than to ensure the industry has sufficient workers to deliver the infrastructure that Australia can afford. With both influencers and decision makers in the ro...

With only one week to go, excitement is building for the announcement of this year’s Australian Construction Achievement Award winner. For the past 26 years the Australian Constructors Association and Engineers Australia have promoted the Australian Construction Achievement Award to celebrate the best of the best in Australian construction. Following a record number of entries, seven finalists have been selected in 2023 to compete for the title of winner of the Australian Construction Achievement Award (ACAA). What makes these projects the best of the best is not just the awe-inspiring structures. The ACAA recognises projects where companies are actively contributing to a more sustainable industry. You don’t see these things when driving along a road or walking into a building. This year’s finalists are going about their work differently. They are implementing digital tools and processes to improve productivity. They are investing in training and development initiatives to equip wo...

An Advance Tender Notice (ATN) has been released for a main works contractor to complete the upgrade to Ballarat’s Eureka Stadium, bringing the project one step closer to completion ahead of the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games. The $150 million investment to upgrade Ballarat’s Eureka Stadium will include the build of a new athletics track as well as see the stadium expanded to hold an additional 5,000 permanent seats, with improved accessibility. Victoria’s Minister for Commonwealth Games Delivery Jacinta Allan said the release of an ATN provides a great opportunity for the local construction sector. “This is a unique opportunity for the construction industry to get involved in the delivery of the venue, generating local jobs and contributing billions of dollars into Victoria’s economy,” she said. The ATN for main works at Eureka Stadium includes civil and earthworks, construction of athletics tracks, carparking, sports lighting and associated amenities. It will be followed b...

Earthmoving is a complex construction process that involves the use of heavy equipment to excavate, move, and shape large quantities of earth and rock on a given project site. It is a crucial part of construction and infrastructure projects. However, it can also be a dangerous process , requiring specialised training and expertise for it to be conducted optimally. For these reasons, it is highly recommended that you leave earthmoving processes and equipment to the professionals. Here are some perks of letting professionals handle the earthmoving processes and their required equipment pieces. Ensured Safety One perk of leaving earthmoving to the professionals is guaranteed safety. Earthmoving equipment can be dangerous, especially when operated by someone who lacks the necessary training and expertise. Therefore, they should only be used by experts who are trained and certified to operate them safely. After all, they already know how to handle the equipment and are familiar with the ...

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) is committing $75 million in debt finance to develop a construction and demolition (C&D) recycling facility at Rino Recycling ahead of the Brisbane Olympics. Operated by Rino Recycling and strategically located in Pinkenba, between the Brisbane CBD and Airport, the $89 million facility is expected to deliver 55,363tCO 2 -e of carbon abatement annually, equivalent to taking almost 12,000 cars off the road. With an approximate recovery rate of more than 90 per cent, it is set to produce higher quality recycled products for re-use. CEFC CEO Ian Learmonth said the investment will help accelerate the nation’s transition to a circular economy by deploying innovative technology to further develop the recycling sector. “It offers an opportunity to deliver important infrastructure to Queensland and comes at a critical time for Brisbane, with the city on the cusp of a construction boom in the count down to the 2032 Olympics,” he said. The ...

Reversing a decline in productivity growth in the construction industry won’t happen overnight, but Komatsu customers are ahead of the curve, thanks to its technical advances and comprehensive customer support. James Muir, General Manager – Smart Construction, Komatsu. As slow labour productivity growth continues to sting parts of the construction industry nationwide, Komatsu is actively delivering solutions to ensure its customers can reap the benefits of its technologies today. Komatsu General Manager – Smart Construction James Muir has a wide breadth of experience in the construction technology space. His over 30 years’ experience has seen him work in leadership roles across the United Kingdom and Australia before joining Komatsu in 2019. Now leading the company’s Smart Construction Division, Muir says new technologies mean the time to improve labour productivity growth in the Australian construction industry is now. “Komatsu’s Smart Construction range is a game changer for ...

Monash University researchers have reportedly developed a world-first personalised app to improve the sleep of shift workers. In a bid to address the vital role shift workers played during the pandemic, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health researchers have developed SleepSync, an app that personalises sleep-wake cycles for shift workers to improve their sleep and overall mood. During the development phase, Dr Jade Murray led research – published in the journal,  Digital Health – that saw 27 shift workers who were at high risk of shift work disorder, commonly experienced as insomnia and excessive sleepiness, trial the app over a two-week period. SleepSync improved total sleep time, ability to fall asleep, sleep quality and perception of recovery on days off. With the app considering each individual’s daily routine, 70 percent reported it was easier to fall asleep, and more than 80 per cent reported better quality sleep. Participants slept an average 29 minutes longer e...

Engineers Without Borders International today announced its partnership with Bentley Systems in an effort to provide the engineering leadership needed to tackle global challenges at scale. The focus of this partnership is to further support the organisation’s mission of bringing together its global movement – to address today’s pressing global challenges and accelerate progress for a sustainable and equitable future for all. Dan Koval, Corporate Initiatives Manager at Bentley Systems said he is excited by the united vision of the Engineers Without Borders movement. “I really believe that this is a pivotal moment to be supporting that coordination to happen and I’m proud that Bentley Systems is the first partner to make that investment,” he said. “I’m looking forward to working with the team and advancing infrastructure together.” Today, Engineers Without Borders is a network of organisations sharing the same name. The new partnership between Bentley Systems and Engineers Without B...

Since 2021, FuturePlace together with the Australian Constructors Association (ACA) have worked together closely to deliver the Future of Construction Summit. This is a senior gathering of leaders representing some of the largest contractors, policy makers and infrastructure players in Australia, aiming to share a collective passion to create a more competitive, diverse, resilient and innovative industry. Taking place in two weeks at the Crown Palladium in Melbourne from 3 – 4 of May, this year’s event is shaping up to be bigger and better than ever with over 600 attendees confirmed. Appropriately themed ‘FCON disrupted’, the focus of the 2023 Summit is on industry disruption and how to navigate this successfully through brave leadership, policy reform, new approaches and emerging technologies. Related stories: FCON22 wrap up 2023 Australian Construction Achievement Award finalists announced 2023 Australian Construction Achievement Award entries open Key speak...

Mirvac has commenced construction on its $212 million Isle Waterfront Newstead apartment building in Brisbane. Isle is the third apartment building Mirvac has underway at its $1 billion Waterfront Newstead community, joining 25-level Quay and build-to-rent development, LIV Anura, which is being delivered in partnership with the Queensland Government. Mirvac Group CEO and Managing Director Campbell Hanan joined Mirvac’s General Manager, Residential Development Queensland Warwick Bible, Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner and City Planning Suburban Renewal Committee Chair Councillor Adam Allan to turn the first sod on Isle today. “Isle will be efficient, resilient and sustainable, with its significant sub-tropical planting, solar panels to power communal electrical, efficient water fittings, EV car charging and the minimisation of construction waste among the many green initiatives being implemented,” said Mr Bible. Located at 57 Skyring Terrace in Newstead, Isle has been designed...

A site has been announced for a new Early Parenting Centre in the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria. Victoria’s Minister for Health Infrastructure Mary-Anne Thomas yesterday announced the new Early Parenting Centre will be built next to Hastings Community Health site at 185 High Street, Hastings. “We know how hard the first few months of parenthood can be – so we’re giving parents the support they need, closer to home, by building and upgrading Early Parenting Centres across Victoria,” said Minister Thomas. The site was chosen due to its accessibility for families across Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula, as well as its close proximity to health services, public transport and local shops. The new centre will feature residential family units and day-stay places, providing both short-term and longer residential stay programs designed to help families with children up to four years. Related stories: Construction progresses on new Early Parenting Centre in Geelong Victoria’s Gle...

In what’s said to be an Australian first, virtual training will be used at the Victorian Tunnelling Centre (VTC) to give Big Build North East Link workers below-ground tunnel experience. Tunnelling is now complete on the Metro Tunnel, the West Gate Tunnel project is nearing completion and with attention shifting to the North East Link project, the VTC will play a key role in its progress. The VTC at Holmesglen Institute in Chadstone features life-sized replicas of mined and bored tunnels and a massive tunnel boring machine cutterhead. It will prepare the thousands of workers needed to build the 6.5-kilometre North East Link Tunnels from Watsonia to Bulleen, providing them a simulated experience of operating and staying safe below-ground. Victoria’s Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Jacinta Allan said it’s these types of training programs that are preparing the next generation of Big Build workers and opening the door to thousands of job opportunities on the state’s construc...