Construcciones Yamaro, by Armando Iachini

FTI Group’s BlueDeck Composite provides stay-in-place formwork for suspended concrete slabs. Image: FTI Group Composite slabs are an established construction method for suspended concrete slabs in commercial, industrial and multi-residential projects throughout Australia. Yet misconceptions persist about how composite action works, where it adds value and what needs to be considered to achieve optimal structural performance. By Harvey Arkcoll, national sales manager at FTI Group. Understanding the basic principles of composite slabs can help project teams make more informed decisions and recognise the efficiencies in design and construction, as well as benefits for long-term durability. What is a composite slab?   A composite slab is a reinforced concrete slab that has been designed so the metal decking formwork and the concrete act together as a single structural element after the concrete has cured. In a composite slab, the metal decking performs two important roles: it acts as...

The first tool pack was donated to Pyrenees Building Group carpentry apprentice Shannon Griffiths in Ballarat. (Images: Master Builders Victoria) A 19-year-old carpentry apprentice from Ballarat has donated thousands of dollars’ worth of new tools to support fellow apprentices doing it tough. Oscar Cherry received two tool packs valued at about $2,000 in total and an $800 clothing voucher after winning Regional Apprentice of the Year (Junior Apprentice) and MBV Apprentice of the Year (Junior Trades) at this year’s Master Builders Victoria Awards . Instead of keeping the prizes, Cherry divided them among apprentices nominated by Victorian training providers. He also added some of his own hand tools to the packs. “I understand how tough it can be for many young apprentices,” he says. “I’ve been fortunate to receive incredible support from my family, friends and trainers, and I wanted to give back by sharing that support with others who may not have the same opportunities.” The first...

Project partners and local representatives marked the centre’s completion at a recent ribbon-cutting ceremony. (Images: Tiago Photography) Bennett Construction has completed a $9 million early learning centre in Howrah, Tasmania, following a 10-month construction program. Developed by Tipalea Partners, the 2,400-square-metre Green Leaves Early Learning Glebe Hill facility will provide 106 childcare places for children aged between six weeks and six years. The centre is located at 21 Commerce Drive, next to Tipalea Partners’ Glebe Hill Village retail development, which was completed in 2022. A recent ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the centre’s completion, attended by Tipalea Partners chief executive officer Scott Spanton, Tasmanian Treasurer and Member for Franklin Eric Abetz, City of Clarence Mayor Brendan Blomeley and Green Leaves business development and construction manager Stuart Andrews. Up to 30 workers were on site each day during peak construction, with about 200 workers c...

Johnathan Thurston (left) and James Durack, founder and director of Durack Civil. (Image: JTA/Durack Civil) Durack Civil has announced a three-year partnership with the Johnathan Thurston Academy (JTA) to support youth leadership, wellbeing and employment-readiness programs in remote and regional communities. The partnership will initially allow JTA to deliver programs in four schools each year, selected from communities connected to Durack Civil’s construction operations, including Milingimbi in Arnhem Land, Burketown and Doomadgee. Durack Civil’s work in remote Australia has focused on employing local people and developing skills alongside the delivery of infrastructure. Recent projects have provided more than 25,000 training hours for local Indigenous workers across Burke Shire and directed more than $10 million to Northern Territory suppliers and personnel during the Milingimbi subdivision project. The company has also met or exceeded contractual Indigenous employment targets, ...

PAD Civil delivers civil infrastructure projects across Victoria for public and private sector clients. (Images: Komatsu/PAD Civil) PAD Civil is using Komatsu machinery and digital construction technology to deliver safer and more efficient civil infrastructure projects across Victoria. Founded by managing director Ricky Thomson, PAD Civil has grown from its origins in commercial plumbing and drainage into a diversified civil construction contractor servicing both public and private sector clients. Today, the company delivers projects across road infrastructure, utilities, renewable energy, sports and recreation facilities, health and education precincts, rail infrastructure, industrial developments and commercial construction. With in-house capabilities across civil works, engineering, drainage and underground services, PAD Civil provides clients with an integrated approach to project delivery, helping streamline construction programs while maintaining a strong focus on safety, qua...

Payapps helps construction teams manage progress claims and approvals in one place. (Image: Ivan/stock.adobe.com) A recent Western Australian Court of Appeal decision has delivered a costly reminder that the statutory clock for responding to a progress claim can begin before anyone opens the email. By Ian Moss, marketing leader for Australia and New Zealand at Payapps – An Autodesk Company. In Co-Operative Bulk Handling Ltd v Martinus Rail Pty Ltd [2026] WASCA 82 , Martinus Rail emailed a progress claim (or payment claim) worth about $22.6 million to the principal’s nominated representative on Saturday, 31 August 2024. The email was not opened until Monday. The contract also stated that communications received on a non-business day were deemed received on the next business day, so the principal issued its payment schedule on Tuesday, 24 September. Claire Jenkin, product manager at Payapps. (Image: Payapps) The Court found that the contractual provision could not change when the ...

EY Centre is Mirvac’s fifth fully electrified office building. (Images: Mirvac) Mirvac has completed the electrification of EY Centre at 200 George Street in Sydney, bringing the number of fully electrified office buildings in its portfolio to five. Co-owned by Mirvac and M&G Real Estate, the office tower holds a 6 Star Green Star rating and a 5.5-star NABERS Energy rating. The upgrade involved replacing gas-based systems with high-efficiency electric heating and hot-water systems that use natural refrigerants. The upgrade replaced gas-based systems with high-efficiency electric heating and hot-water systems. Mirvac chief asset management officer Victoria Tavendale said the project supports the company’s target to decarbonise its portfolio by 2030. “Projects like this are critical to how we decarbonise our portfolio over time. They allow us to reduce our reliance on offsets, respond to tenant demand and position our assets for the future,” said Tavendale. “By removing gas fro...