News

August 15, 2021

A mobile app is now helping head contractors’ keep a record of vaccine certificates for all visitors to their site.

Why Haven't Buildings Become Productised? An Exploration of the Possibilities and Barriers to Buildings of the Future

March 31, 2021

Peter Greaves

While increasing populations and urbanisation are leading to rising demand for construction, pushing up revenues, both profits and affordability are decreasing. Cost and time are therefore becoming even more of an imperative for return on investment (ROI) and overall growth. Despite advances in technology, and the emergence of industrialised construction some 60 or so years ago, we are still ‘swinging hammers’ on site, creating buildings that are all unique and bespoke. Why is that?

‘Uber Eats for Construction Materials’: The Aussie App That Delivers Materials and Tools to Site

March 30, 2021

Jeanette Muscat

One app is tackling the problem of unplanned trips to the hardware store - which is estimated to cost around $2 billion in labour and vehicle expenses each year.

‘On-Site Factories’: The Companies Bringing Assembly Line Production to the Construction Site

March 24, 2021

When you see what these companies are up to, it may be a not-too-distant reality that we see job sites dominated by artificially-intelligent robots roaming around completing tasks that humans once did.

Not 'If', But 'When': City Planners Need to Design for Flooding. These Examples Show The Way

March 22, 2021

Elizabeth Mossop

It's not enough to continue to build cities and towns based on business-as-usual planning principles. We need to plan and design our urban spaces around the idea that flooding is inevitable.

We Are Back With a Brand New Platform and It’s All About YOU

March 17, 2021

We want to provide a unique, behind-the-scenes insight into Australia’s buildings and infrastructure and share the stories of the industry’s brightest minds - that means YOU!

WATCH: The World’s First Height-Adjustable Crane System

March 16, 2021

The innovative crane system allowed Hutchies to comply with aviation requirements by encroaching into aircraft airspace during the day and lowering the crane at night below the maximum permitted height.

Aurecon, SMEC Dominate at the Australian Engineering Excellence Awards 2020

October 5, 2020

The winners list includes the likes of the Sydney Metro, Canberra Light Rail, Albion Park Bypass and Newcastle Light Rail but also includes construction innovations such as University of Wollongong’s Desert Rose House and self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs) developed by Gateway South (Fulton Hogan-Laing O’Rourke Joint Venture) for the Darlington Upgrade in South Australia.

WATCH: Melbourne Metro Tunnelling Reaches Halfway Mark with Two TBM Break-Throughs within 24 Hours

September 27, 2020

Melbourne Metro has achieved another major milestone with 50% of tunnelling now completed after two TBM’s broke through within 24 hours of one another.

WATCH: TBM for Snowy Hydro 2.0 Tested in German Factory Before Landing at Port Kembla

The TBM is 205 metres long and 11 metres in diameter and is the most sophisticated TBM that will be used on Snowy Hydro 2.0 with the ability to bore on an incline.

First-of-its-Kind Timber-Steel Hybrid Bridge Proposed for West Seattle

A proposal for the reconstruction of the failing West Seattle Bridge has been put forward that utilises a hybrid timber and steel arch structure. B+H Architects, SMEC and Robert Bird Group have put forward the unsolicited design proposal.

‘Google Street View for Construction Sites’ Coming to Australia after $15.9M Investment

360-degree reality capture technology company, OpenSpace, will start to rollout in Australia within the next 3 months off the back of a $15.9 million investment.

Stadium Roof Inspired by a Leaf ..and Other Winners from Australia’s Most Innovative Engineers 2020

“Innovations ranged from macro-scale pieces of infrastructure like railway stations and sports stadiums, to micro-scale technology like atomically thin materials,” says Engineers Australia CEO Dr Bronwyn Evans.

Bricklaying Robot, Hadrian X, Builds Display Home in Perth after 15 Years of Development

This marks a major milestone for the company, Fastbrick Robotics (FBR), and provides validation that the technology can actually build habitable houses on real sites.

These Prestressed Steel Trays Allow Rapid Construction of Low-Mid Rise Buildings

September 18, 2020

An Australian company has developed a construction system for rapid low and mid-rise construction which the company says can reduce construction programmes by up to 50%.

NSW Just Implemented New Building Reform - Here’s What’s Changed

September 18, 2020

The Residential Apartment Buildings (Compliance and Enforcement Powers) Act 2020 (NSW) came into effect on the 1st September 2020, giving the NSW Building Commissioner new powers to intervene in the construction of residential apartment projects.

WATCH: First Track Laid on Perth's METRONET Forrestfield-Airport Link

August 15, 2020

The first track has been laid on Metronet’s Forrestfield-Airport Link which will add 8.5 kms and 3 new stations between Redcliffe and Airport Central stations.

The Best in Architecture: Highlights from the Australian Institute of Architects Awards 2020

August 13, 2020

The Australian Institute of Architects held virtual events this year to celebrate the best in architecture for the their annual awards.

North Sydney’s Skyline is Changing Drastically.. These are the Newest Buildings in its Lineup

July 22, 2020

One Denison topped out in February 2020 making it the tallest building in North Sydney but there are already new buildings under construction to dethrone it from its short-lived title.

WATCH: Roadheader Break-Through at Melbourne Metro’s Town Hall Station

July 8, 2020

1 of 3 roadheaders digging Town Hall Station broke through to the station’s central cavern marking the completion of digging for its 3 entrances.

A Complete List of Projects Being Fast-Tracked to Stimulate the Economy

June 26, 2020

Snowy Hydro 2.0 was granted two exemptions from the NSW Biosecurity Act whilst Queensland passed the Forest Wind Development Bill 2020 to speed up the $2B wind project between Gympie and Maryborough.Whether or not some of these projects have been approved prematurely and before a proper assessment is a matter for debate.

These Companies are Turning CO2 into Concrete.. Could it be the Solution to Construction’s Emissions Problem?

June 26, 2020

This is a double win for concrete’s emissions as it cuts down emissions resulting from concrete production and captures additional CO2 from power plants that would otherwise go into the atmosphere. Then it permanently stores it in the concrete.

Construction Safety Startup Raises $4M to Monitor Machinery Blind Spots

June 4, 2020

Toolbox Spotter has been trained by over 100,000 hours of video footage of worksites to learn how to identify workers and their behaviour. The tech has already been adopted by major players in construction, transport and mining including Transport for NSW, Metro Trains Melbourne, McConnell Dowell, Georgiou Group BHP, Fortescue Metals, Patrick and Aurizon.

Bushfire-Destroyed Bridges Reconstructed in as Little as 2 Days using Innovative Formwork System

May 29, 2020

InQuik have developed off-the-shelf lightweight formwork systems for abutments, wingwalls, headstocks, blade piers and decks.

‘Unfolds Like an Umbrella’: Innovative New Bridge Building Technique

May 17, 2020

The ‘balanced lowering method’ works on the same principle as opening up an umbrella.

A.I. Robot can Plaster, Render and Paint Autonomously

May 13, 2020

A fully autonomous wall plastering, rendering and painting robot is being developed by an Israeli robotics technology company.

How your Sewage Could be Used to Make Stronger Concrete

May 12, 2020

Researchers at RMIT have shown that steel slag which has first been used to treat sewage could make concrete stronger than using raw slag.

Weekly News Highlights - 8th May 2020

May 8, 2020

West Gate Tunnel delayed until 2023, Western Australia to provide $24.5 million in support to trades and apprentices and Lendlease are seeking a $1.15B investment to keep it afloat during a global downturn in property and construction.. this was your week in construction.

Australia's Newest Tallest Building Gets Final Approval

May 6, 2020

It will surpass Gold Coast’s Q1 by a whopping 42.6 metres making it the tallest building in Australia and 50th tallest in the world, not far behind New York’s Empire State Building at 41.

Another Bridge Collapses in Northern Italy

May 6, 2020

Due to the COVID-19 lockdown, only 2 cars were on the deck at the time. One man was flown to hospital with minor injuries and a second person escaped with no injuries.

Apps Detect Social Distancing on Site

May 6, 2020

Vinnie by SmartVid.io uses A.I. to recognise objects and identify risks through on-site cameras. It’s now been trained to identify when workers are too close to each other.

Transparency Key to Fixing the Building Products Industry

May 4, 2020

Measures that focus on improving the industry's information flow, transparency, accountability, and feedback loops are more realistic and achievable in the short-term than overarching compliance and regulation. A system that inherently drives accountability and transparency allows the market to regulate.

World's First Fully Electric Backhoe Released

April 27, 2020

The world’s first fully electric backhoe has been released by CASE at CONEXPO 2020.

WATCH: Cities Shut Around the World due to COVID-19

April 17, 2020

Around the world, cities have stopped moving.

Italian-led Consortium Design Intensive Care Pods for COVID-19 Treatment

April 14, 2020

An international task force has developed a concept for modular intensive care pods to increase hospital capacity for COVID-19 patients. The task force says they could be as fast to mount as a hospital tent, but as safe as an isolation ward.

Global Construction Community Divided over Site Shutdowns

April 13, 2020

Construction site staff would hardly notice they’re in the middle of a pandemic with many workers expressing their concern over crowded sites and union negligence.This is causing a divide in the global construction community between those that are calling for site shutdowns and those wanting to keep construction open for business.In a rare alliance, the CFMEU and Master Builders Australia have formed a united front to keep sites open.

The Technologies Revolutionising Site Inspections in 2020

April 10, 2020

Whilst slow to adopt innovation, construction is now integrating hardware and software to finally bring digital tools to the construction site.These are the technologies transforming how we undertake site inspections in 2020.

Weekly News Highlights - 10th April 2020

April 10, 2020

Report released on cause of Wallan train derailment, Kingsford line of light rail opens and Darling Harbour developments not welcome by City of Sydney.. this was your week in construction.

This Smart Contact Lens Gives you Terminator Vision

April 6, 2020

Technology startup, Mojo Vision, is developing a smart contact lens they are hailing as the world’s smallest display. The contact lens projects information directly onto your eyeball, even focusing it for you so you can see it clearly.

Weekly News Highlights - 3rd April 2020

April 3, 2020

Travel restrictions for FIFO, four COVID-19 cases on sites, and Australia’s largest private builder lays off 200 staff.. this was your week in construction.

Tradies May Soon Learn 3D Printing & Robotics at TAFE

April 2, 2020

NSW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian has announced a review of TAFE’s trades education system to ensure tradies are learning the skills of the future.

The Leaning Tower of Dallas: The Building that Won't Fall Down

March 31, 2020

The building was left with a distinct lean but wouldn’t fall over. A 2.5 tonne wrecking ball was brought in but the building still remained standing.

Software Billionaire's Portable Solar Provides Power to Bushfire-Hit Areas

March 30, 2020

The collaboration between Atlassian Cofounder, Mike Cannon-Brookes, and solar company 5B is called the Resilient Energy Collective and uses prefabricated solar panels in conjunction with Tesla’s Powerwall battery pack to generate and store electricity.

Weekly News Highlights - 27th March 2020

March 27, 2020

TBM breakthrough at Blues Point, $28 million in federal funding for a construction research initiative and a formwork collapse on Canberra construction site... this was your week in construction.

Toyota’s Woven City: The City of the Future

March 26, 2020

Located at the base of Mount Fuji on an 175-acre, ex-factory site in Higashi-Fuji, the city will be powered by clean energy produced through hydrogen fuel cells and solar panels on building roofs.

Coronavirus Impacts Construction Supply Chains

March 25, 2020

With so many construction products sourced from China, accounting for as much as 20% of total construction cost, Australian contractors are advising their clients to expect project delays.

TBM Breakthrough Marks Completion of Sydney Metro Tunnelling

March 24, 2020

The TBM completed twin tunnels, each one 885 metres long and up to 40 m below sea level from Barangaroo to Blues Point, marking the completion of tunnelling for the Sydney Metro project.

Queensland Introduces ‘Project Bank Accounts’ to Protect Head & Subcontractors

March 23, 2020

Not only will this secure timely payments but will prevent dodgy developers from racking up debts and then liquidating companies at the expense of head and sub-contractors.

The Innovative Robotic Device Making Cranes Safer

March 16, 2020

Roborigger is a remote-controlled stabilisation system that eliminates the need for workers at the bottom of crane loads. It has been used successfully on several sites including the Adelaide casino, a Fortescue mine in the Pilbara and a demolition site in George St, Sydney.

Australia's Top 5 Engineered-Timber Buildings

March 8, 2020

Currently, the world’s tallest timber building is Mjøstårnet in Norway, an 85 metre mixed-use complex completed in March 2019. But how is Australia doing in the timber construction space? Let’s look at Australia’s top 5 engineered timber buildings.

Self-Driving Excavators Hit the Market

February 26, 2020