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Construcciones Yamaro: NAORA takes live concrete monitoring beyond the sensor

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NAORA managing director Dale Hann (left) and general manager Carley Phillips. (Image: NAORA) NAORA gives project teams visibility into concrete performance, turning live field data into evidence that supports confident decisions. Concrete programs have traditionally relied on off-site test results to confirm when the next stage of work can begin. Cylinders are cast, transported, cured and tested away from the element, with results often returning after the concrete in place has reached strength. When confirmation is delayed, contractors may have to hold back stripping, stressing, loading or the next sequence of work, even when the concrete in place may already be ready. As an approved Converge delivery partner operating across Australia, NAORA brings in-situ monitoring into the concrete program and quality assurance (QA) process. Converge builds real-time concrete monitoring technology and software to optimise concrete operations, while NAORA manages planning, sensor placement, ins...

Construcciones Yamaro: How McConnell Dowell’s Tanuj Juneja leads complex projects

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Tanuj Juneja is leading McConnell Dowell’s remediation works at Swanson Dock West. (Images: McConnell Dowell) At McConnell Dowell, Tanuj Juneja brings composure, commitment and conviction to the pressures of complex infrastructure. There are moments on a project when the answer is obvious to project director Tanuj Juneja. He can see the problem, the solution and the pressure building around the team. But after two decades in construction, he also knows leadership isn’t always about being the first person to step in. At Swanson Dock West, where McConnell Dowell is delivering remediation works, that restraint is tested daily. The project is technically demanding, staged around an operating container terminal and complicated by marine conditions. Juneja’s role is to look ahead, clear roadblocks early, and give his team the space to work through problems with confidence. The making of a project leader It’s a long way from where his construction career began. His father, now retired...

Construcciones Yamaro: NAWIC campaign calls for better support for parents in construction

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NAWIC’s Cathryn Greville with State member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp, who delivered the opening address at the launch event. (Images: NAWIC) The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) brought construction leaders, government representatives and industry members together in Newcastle on 31 July for the first in-person event of its Off Site, Not Out of Mind campaign. More than 70 people from Tier 1 construction firms through to small businesses attended, with discussions focused on the experiences pushing women out of construction and the changes needed to keep them. NAWIC CEO Cathryn Greville said the campaign responds to one of the construction industry’s most pressing workforce retention challenges. “Pregnancy is one of the biggest risk points for losing experienced women from construction,” said Greville. “It’s bigger than any one employer or individual. It’s not just a personal cost; it’s a workforce issue the industry cannot afford, particularly as it faces ...

Construcciones Yamaro: Parramatta office to house Western Sydney University students

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AI impression: The planned student accommodation at 10 Valentine Avenue in Parramatta. (Image: Holdmark) A $100 million adaptive reuse project will transform a vacant commercial building in the Parramatta CBD into student accommodation for up to 600 Western Sydney University students. Holdmark Property Group has partnered with the university to deliver the purpose-built facility at 10 Valentine Avenue, beside the Parramatta rail and bus interchange. Construction and refurbishment work is expected to commence in August 2026, with the first students scheduled to move into the building in the fourth quarter of 2027. The project will retain and convert the existing 14-level building, which contains about 16,000 square metres of commercial space and was completed in the late 1980s. The property previously accommodated NSW Government offices but became vacant after several departments relocated to newer premises in Parramatta Square. Related stories: Refurbishment transforms 400 Geor...

Construcciones Yamaro: Infrastructure Australia CEO reappointed

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Adam Copp, CEO of Infrastructure Australia. (Image: Infrastructure Australia) The Australian Government has reappointed Adam Copp as CEO of Infrastructure Australia for a further three-year term. Copp has served as CEO since July 2023, leading the organisation through a period of change, including embedding a new strategy following the amendments to the Infrastructure Australia Act. Prior to his appointment as CEO, he held a number of senior roles at Infrastructure Australia, including chief operating officer. Related stories: Australia sets expectations for data centres and AI infrastructure Engineers Australia calls for underground infrastructure investment FBIS26 to tackle construction’s productivity challenge Copp has a Master of Global Law from the University of Sydney and a Master of Business Administration from the University of New South Wales. He also serves as a director of the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council . Federal Minister for Infrastructure, ...

Construcciones Yamaro: Knauf launches BaseCote PRO and simplifies compounds range

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BaseCote PRO can be mixed to a thinner or thicker consistency. (Images: Knauf) Knauf Gypsum has launched BaseCote PRO in Australia, a new base jointing compound developed in response to customer feedback. Available through Knauf Fulfilment Centres and distributor partners, BaseCote PRO simplifies Knauf’s previous BaseCote offering from three products to two new working-time variants: BaseCote PRO 50 and BaseCote PRO 75. The new formulation gives contractors greater flexibility to choose the product that best suits their preferred application method, working time and site conditions. The compound can be mixed to a thinner or thicker consistency for hand trowel application or automatic box and tape systems. The new formulation also delivers high bond strength, improved performance in hotter conditions, predictable set times, smooth trowelling and clean sanding. As the foundation of the Knauf plasterboard finishing system, BaseCote PRO supports each stage of the jointing process, fro...

Construcciones Yamaro: The project-critical role of temporary works in construction

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Temporary works can play an important role in the safe and efficient delivery of construction projects. (Image: Taras Vyshnya/stock.adobe.com) From groundwater management and excavation shoring to structural propping, temporary works can have a major impact on project delivery. Involving temporary works specialists earlier can help reduce risk and improve construction outcomes. Temporary works can determine whether a project succeeds or struggles, yet they can be overlooked during planning. The finished asset is naturally a key focus. It’s what the client is paying for. But long before an office tower, shopping centre or hospital project is complete, construction teams must solve a range of challenges that only exist while the work is being carried out. Groundwater, excavations, access, staging, environmental constraints, bypass systems, shoring and propping all need to be managed safely and efficiently before permanent works can progress. According to Ernest Lapornik, engineering...