Construcciones Yamaro, by Armando Iachini

Artist’s impression: SEED (subject to approvals). (Image: Mirvac) Mirvac and Australian Retirement Trust (ART) have launched the first stage of SEED, their co-owned 39-hectare industrial and enterprise precinct in the Western Sydney Aerotropolis, and secured its first State Significant Development approval (SSDA) from the New South Wales Government. The project will provide an economic boost for the region, with more than 3,000 jobs to be created across the two stages of the precinct’s development, spanning both construction and operational employment. This marks the third industrial project by the Mirvac–ART partnership, following Aspect Industrial Estate at Kemps Creek, which was the first site approved under the Mamre Road Precinct planning controls. The partnership has also delivered Switchyard , an industrial estate in Auburn. With flexible warehouse opportunities ranging from 2,500 to 100,000 square metres across 17 future buildings, SEED is designed to support a diverse ...

The International Institute for Women in Construction will amplify the voices of those who are helping women thrive in the industry. (Image: Cultura Creative/stock.adobe.com) With four decades in construction behind her, Dr Gretchen Gagel now leads a global institute focused on advancing women in the industry. By Dr Gretchen Gagel. People have started referring to me as a person who has “dedicated her life to advancing women in construction”. Yes, I have been a woman in construction for four decades. But my work to advance women in construction only began in 2019 when I arrived in Australia. Prior to that, I was the CEO/managing director of two companies where we provided strategic advisement to clients such as General Motors (GM) and Intel on how to build physical assets in the safest, fastest, most cost-effective way. I also continued to provide strategic advisement to contractors, engineering and architectural firms, and building material manufacturers on how to best serve...

In-building mobile coverage in basements and car parks supports the safety of maintenance and inspection personnel. (Image: Yuliia/stock.adobe.com) Below ground, Powertec Telecommunications is treating in-building mobile connectivity as essential infrastructure for safety, emergency communication and modern building systems. Mobile connectivity is assumed as standard in today’s buildings, yet it consistently breaks down in one of the most intensively used parts of the built environment: basements and car parks. Too often dismissed as a post-construction technical oversight, the consequences surface in long-term asset performance and, in some cases, user safety. As commercial operations manager at Powertec Telecommunications, Tom Bolton sees the pattern repeated across residential towers, commercial offices and retail developments. He says builders and developers need to treat in-building coverage as a core building service, particularly in underground environments. “Basements an...

Coates’ analysis indicates engineering construction will rise 6.5 per cent to close to $150 billion from FY26 to FY27. (Image: escapejaja/stock.adobe.com) Coates has outlined several trends it believes will shape Australia’s construction landscape in 2026, pointing to a period of moderate but sustained recovery despite ongoing short-term pressures. According to James Lawrence, group manager, Customer and Markets at Coates , the current recovery phase will lay the foundation for strong growth throughout the second half of the decade. “From late FY26 to FY27, Australia’s total construction activity will average over $300 billion per annum, with engineering construction accounting for almost half of construction spend,” says Lawrence. The outlook highlights structural shifts across sector demand, project types and regional activity that contractors and project teams are expected to contend with over the coming year. Transitioning to a utilities and defence-driven cycle As the tra...

K-RTK is a subscription-based network service delivering high-accuracy corrections to GNSS-enabled equipment via the mobile data network. (Image: Komatsu) Komatsu Australia is bringing network-delivered positioning into the Smart Construction ecosystem with the launch of K-RTK for the Australian market. Australian earthmoving projects are operating with less tolerance for positioning failure than at any point in the past decade. Live models, concurrent work fronts and compressed programs mean accuracy issues now surface immediately. When positioning breaks down, production slows, rework follows and confidence across the site erodes. For many contractors, the choice has already been made. Network real-time kinematic (RTK) is now the preferred positioning approach on complex earthmoving projects, particularly where site-based base stations struggle to keep pace with program and scale. Komatsu Australia’s data shows adoption rising from about 64 per cent in 2024 to 73 per cent by th...

The Innovation Hub will be open throughout the race weekend. (Image: FiledIMAGE/stock.adobe.com) Engineers Australia will bring engineering trackside at the FORMULA 1 QATAR AIRWAYS AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2026, hosting an Innovation Hub showcasing race car technology and hands-on STEM activities linked to careers across infrastructure, climate solutions, transport and energy. Located within the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, the interactive zone will highlight the engineering behind Formula 1, including aerodynamics, data analytics, materials science and sustainability. The hub will demonstrate how classroom STEM learning links to real-world applications, featuring more than 20 exhibitors. Engineers Australia’s own interactive booth is delivered in partnership with Robogals ,  The National Science and Engineering Challenge  and  Year 13 . Visitors to the booth will be able to participate in a LEGO robotics challenge, programming robots to race head-to-head,...