Consulting Matters December 2019

SUMMER 2019

2019 Awards Showcase

14

40 Q&A with

Ian Hopkins

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RedR Report: Rukban, Syria

The Build Environment in 2030

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Consulting Matters

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CONTENTS

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14

2019 Awards Showcase Industry updates Industry updates

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New members

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What’s happening in Consult Australia

46 Client Service Excellence

32

Future Leader

34

Champions of Change - Female Leadership

35

Business Innovation - Small Firms

36

Highly Commended Awards

37

Photos from the evening

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From the Outgoing President

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From the Incoming President

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Business essentials

From the CEO

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Q&A with Ian Hopkins

Division updates

8

President's Award

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Medium Firm of the Year

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Large Firm of the Year

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Project Team Collaboration

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Technological Innovation

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Sustainability in Design

26

Design Innovation

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External Stakeholder Engagement

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What is happening in the professional indemnity insurance market for engineers? 44 How Cbus Property is building for the future

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Corporate Social Responsibility RedR Report: Delivering critical humanitarian aid to Rukban, Syria

Not a member of Consult Australia?

40

Protecting your business

Awards for Excellence

RedR Report: Delivering critical humanitarian aid to Rukban, Syria

To find out more about how your firm can benefit from membership contact Consult Australia on (02) 8252 6700 or email membership@consultaustralia.com.au www.consultaustralia.com.au

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Consulting Matters

Industry updates

Industry updates INDUSTRY APPOINTMENTS Infrastructure specialist Murray Kretschmer has been appointed Leader of Arup’s transport and resources business in Australasia. Murray has worked in all areas of infrastructure on projects in Australia, Singapore, China, Ireland and the UK. Murray was most recently Arup's Operations Leader for the transport and resources (T&R) sector, encompassing rail, highways, intelligent mobility, energy, water, maritime, aviation, resource to waste management and asset management.

Arcadis has welcomed Jacqui Banks to its Global Cities Team as City Executive Melbourne. Jacqui is an experienced leader in urban renewal, precincts, place-making, planning, urban design, and building and infrastructure delivery, most recently playing a lead role in the planning and development of the Fisherman’s Bend Urban Renewal Area, Australia’s largest urban renewal project. She's also worked on planning policy and delivery at local and state government levels, including as an adviser to a Victorian Minister for Planning.

SMEC continues to strengthen its Transport and Water Infrastructure teams with the recent appointment and promotion to Technical Principal of Steven Piotrowski (left) in Transport Modelling and Gavin Flood (left) in Water Infrastructure.

Steven has more than 30 years' experience in transport projects in Australia, Canada, and the UK with his unique range of experience facilitating a multidisciplinary approach to complex projects and decision-making. He is a Fellow of Engineers Australia and of the Australian Institute of Traffic Planning and Management (AITPM).

Gavin has over 24 years' experience in the water sector both in Australia and overseas, and has worked on a diverse range of municipal and industrial projects in the roles of client, consultant and contractor.

Bronwyn Evans has now commenced as the new CEO of Engineers Australia.

Dr Evans brings a wealth of leadership, commercial and policy expertise from a career spanning corporate and not-for-profit roles, including CEO of Standards Australia and senior executive roles at Cochlear Ltd and GE Healthcare.

five years he has led its NSW Water and Environment business. In another significant Cardno appointment, Iris Stewart has recently commenced in the role of General Manager – Victoria and New Zealand, based in the Melbourne office. Iris has broad management experience across the globe with well-known companies and brands.

Arcadis has welcomed Anthony Lusher to its Environment and Waste team as Principal Environmental Consultant. Anthony has over 10 years’ experience across environmental research, environmental assessment and approvals, environmental management and compliance—most recently playing a leading role in the delivery of environmental approvals for one of NSW’s largest infrastructure projects, WestConnex Stage 3A M4-M5 Link Mainline Tunnels.

Aurecon has appointed Scott Smith as Client Director - Transport for Victoria and South Australia to support development of integrated precincts that aim to reduce urban sprawl in the fast-growing region. Scott has worked across Aurecon in a variety of technical and management roles since his career began as a Tunnel Engineer in 1999, most recently in Asia where he spent the past 10 years as Infrastructure Leader – Hong Kong and more recently Client Director for Infrastructure in Asia.

Arcadis has welcomed Jamye Harrison to its Smart Cities team as Global Solutions Lead. Jamye has over 25 years' experience spanning strategy, public policy, design and delivery in transport, infrastructure and smart cities. He joins Arcadis from WSP, where he led the Smart Infrastructure practice, focusing on the convergence of technology, data analytics and digital operations in transport, energy, water and the built environment.

Beca has appointed Phil Card as its new State Manager for Victoria.

Phil is currently Business Director of Industrial Markets for Australia, a position he’ll continue alongside his new role.

Phil joined Beca as an engineering graduate 22 years ago and has played a pivotal role in growing its industrial business in Australia.

Cardno has appointed Andrew Spinks to the position of National Water and Environment Business Leader, based in NSW. Andrew has over 20 years' experience as an environmental planner and project manager— including 12 years in management and leadership roles—delivering complex multi-disciplinary infrastructure projects in both South Africa and Australia. He joins Cardno from Jacobs where for the past

Rebecca Strang has been appointed as Aurecon’s Global Service Leader for Land Infrastructure & Spatial Insights.

Rebecca leads a group of experts that help create context around existing built and natural environments to ensure the right design decisions are made at the start of each project. This newly created portfolio of services brings together Aurecon’s existing expertise in civil infrastructure, land and spatial surveying, and spatial information management and analysis, and harnesses their combined capabilities, which underpin all infrastructure design work.

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS! 2019 marks 70 years since SMEC began construction on the iconic Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Scheme, starting their namesake project and one of the civil engineering wonders of the modern world.

Industry updates

Consulting Matters

OTHER

Founded in New Zealand almost 100 years ago, professional services consultancy Beca is proud to be celebrating its 50 th birthday in Australia this year. The Australian business has come a long way: from humble beginnings in 1969 with a tiny Melbourne office set up to serve Carlton & United Breweries (CUB), to a business today of around 500 people based across four major Australian cities.

Professional engineers in Victoria will need to be registered under legislation passed in State Parliament last month. The legislation establishes a statewide mandatory registration system covering five categories of engineering – structural, civil, mechanical, electrical and fire safety. The scheme is designed to allow further categories to be included in the future. Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) will shortly commence development of regulations to implement the scheme, supported by a Regulatory Impact Statement and a further round of public consultation. CAV and the Victorian Building Authority will release more details and the transitional arrangements towards the end of this year.

Editor/Marketing Manager Mark Rock

President Gerry Doyle

Chief Executive Officer Nicola Grayson

Chief Operating Officer Kisanne Dulin

Director State Operations – Manager SA & NT Jan Irvine

State Manager – NSW Linda Gaunt

State Manager – VIC & TAS Kathy Uhlik

State Manager – QLD Jillian Carney

State Manager – WA Steve Coghlan

State Manager – ACT Caitlin Buttress

Policy Advisors James Robertson Kristy Eulenstein

Corporate Designer Voltaire Corpuz

Finance Manager Andy Mak

Accounts Guillaume Marchand

PA/Office Administrator Karen Pooley

Administration Assistant Sam Baker

Editorial submissions mark@consultaustralia.com.au

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Consulting Matters

What’s happening at Consult Australia

From the Outgoing President I’d like to make a personal shout out to this year’s President Award winner, David Singleton AM. With this award we recognise David’s extensive and significant contribution to our industry, spanning across decades and continents. are in sustainability (playing a key role in the establishment of ISCA) and the patriation of women in the engineering industry.

Two years has passed quickly, and this is my final ‘From the President’ article for Consult Matters with my role as President coming to an end at the AGM on 24 October and definitely going out with a bang at the 2019 Awards Night. What a night! My congratulations to all the Award winners and I hope you enjoy seeing them all showcased in this edition of Consulting Matters.

Our Awards night is my favourite event of the year – and the one night where I really do bring out my dancing shoes. Greg Ward, our MC, once again hit the mark with an opening number that might almost have had you think our industry is cool and suave. Then again, if the dance floor later was any indication, we were on point.

I’d like to make a personal shout out to this year’s Presidents Award winner, David Singleton AM. With this award we recognise David’s extensive and significant contribution to our industry, spanning across decades and continents. Whilst that service included engagement with Consult Australia in numerous capacities over many years (including as President for 10 years and an Awards Judge), the Award was also made in acknowledgment of all the work David did personally and professionally with other associations, educational institutions, institutes, councils and forums in dedication to the betterment of our industry and our built environment. David’s particular passions

As I hand over the presidency to the delightful Gerry Doyle (from whom I have learned, more than anything else, how to have difficult conversations) I have been reflecting on how the role on the Consult Australia Board has provided so many unforgettable experiences for me. These have included overseas travel to attend both the ACENZ and FIDIC conferences and the opportunity to work closely with some amazing people in Consult Australia, past and present. It is in hindsight that you realise that just one small step to decide to participate in something—to put your hand up—can lead to new friends, new skills and new thinking. So please stay open to whatever opportunities come your way and put your hand up.

I know I leave Consult Australia in good hands with Nicola Grayson, who has stepped into the CEO role this year with passion and drive, and Gerry Doyle as the incoming President.

I would also like to congratulate and welcome the new Board members, who were elected at the AGM on 24 October – Michelle Golafshan (Douglas Partners), Kate Drews (SMEC), Stuart Manley (Jacobs) and Tasos Katopodis (GHD). I am so pleased that Consult Australia will continue to be supported with a diverse and professional board who will continue to drive its success for us all.

Kiri Parr Outgoing President

Industry updates

Consulting Matters

From the Incoming President important to me and has a very personal impact on everything that I do.

Taking over from Kiri at the time of the Awards is a great honour and the Awards showcased some of the outstanding achievements of our industry.

It is my great pleasure to take over as the Consult Australia President for the next two years. I have been on the Board for the last four years and have got to work with some extraordinary people from across our industry during that time.

I would like to acknowledge the work of Kiri Parr, the outgoing President. Kiri has been a terrific leader of the Consult Australia Board, her dedication and persistence to achieving outcomes for our industry have been a terrific example of what we can do together.

Kiri’s passion is getting better procurement outcomes and Kiri and Nicola Grayson have been a formidable team in campaigning for better procurement across Australia.

This year we received a high number of submissions for the awards and the judges were very impressed with the calibre of the entries received. The judges particularly noted that the Future Leader and Champions of Change – Female Leadership had a very high standard across all submissions.

It is fantastic to see such great award submissions and congratulations to the winners of the various categories on your success.

In closing I would like to thank Kiri for her outstanding work as the Consult Australia President over the last two years. It has been a wonderful experience to work with Kiri and to see the leadership of this amazing person.

I have been blessed to get to know Kiri and to work with her. I look forward to the next two years and hope that we can continue the good work from the previous Board and make our industry a strong place for the future.

Kiri has left some big shoes as the President and I will do my best to fill them in my own way.

To let you know a little about me, I am married to Jenny and we have five wonderful sons ranging in age from 15 to 10. My day job is as the CEO of Tonkin, a role I have held for a little over eight years. Away from work I am a sport nut, with a passion in athletics and soccer. The primary role I have played within Consult Australia has been in relation to the work on Mental Health, a topic which is very

Gerry Doyle Incoming President

The judges particularly noted that the Future Leader and Champions of Change – Female Leadership had a very high standard across all submissions. It is fantastic to see such great award submissions and congratulations to the winners of the various categories on your success.

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Consulting Matters

What’s happening at Consult Australia

From the CEO Given the high level of energy and activity across our organisation through our committees and groups the key outcome from Congress is to review how best we communicate the work we’re doing, the progress we’re making, and the wins we’re achieving.

Congratulations to this year’s Excellence Award Winners. We had a fantastic night of celebration at the Awards dinner involving members, clients, and special guests.

Thanks goes to our high calibre expert judging panel for their hard work: - Tony Barry, Vice President of the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC); - Phil Davies, Infrastructure Advisory Partner, at Deloitte and former CEO of Infrastructure Australia; - Helen Gillies, Non-Executive Director Monadelphous; and - Professor Brian Uy, Head of School for Civil Engineering - The University of Sydney.

Thank you to all the entrants for making the Judge’s job particularly difficult this year. We are delighted that the Judges will be staying with us next year, so start thinking about your entries for 2020. We also thank our platinum partners ACO, and gold partners Macquarie and CBUS for supporting the Awards and helping to make the night one to remember.

Final thanks to our fantastic team at Consult Australia for bringing the Awards together, this year’s ‘under the sea’ theme was particularly spectacular as you’ll see from the photographs in this edition.

Every two years at our Annual General Meeting (AGM) Consult Australia’s Board turns over with one half of the elected Directors stepping down. We welcome our new Board Directors and incoming President and acknowledge and thank the achievements of the outgoing President Kiri Parr and fellow Board members. Thank you to all those who nominated for the four available Board positions, we had fifteen candidates, which is an excellent

endorsement of the work and value of the Board.

At this year’s AGM two new Life Members were elected. Congratulations to Rod Johnson, nominated and elected for his work representing Consult Australia for over 12 years on the industry advisory group to the Australian Building Codes Board; and Dan Reeve for his long service to Consult Australia as Chair of the Infrastructure Roundtable and contribution to the consulting industry.

We also held our Annual Congress meeting, which brings together our Board, Chairs of our Division Committees, Roundtables, FutureNet, and our policy and state/territory team. Framed around our strategic plan to grow our profile and engagement. Key wins and opportunities were shared, with presentations from each group, including the Male Champions of Change.

Given the high level of energy and activity across our organisation through our committees and groups the key outcome from Congress is to review how best we communicate the work we’re doing, the progress we’re making, and the wins we’re achieving.

Thank you to everyone for your engagement with Consult Australia throughout this year, we’re really proud of the work we’re doing to support your industry, your business, and your career.

We wish you a happy and safe holiday season and look forward to working with you in 2020.

Nicola Grayson CEO

Consulting Matters

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Consulting Matters

What’s happening at Consult Australia

Division Updates With varying market conditions around the country Consult Australia’s state and territory managers share their insights on key challenges and opportunities for our member firms.

QLD

Jillian Carney In October 2018 we released our report on Striving for Mentally Healthy Workplaces.

What followed has been a year focussed on highlighting the importance of mental health in our industry, removing stigmas and promoting open conversation about an issue that affects one in five Australians.

We spend almost 45 per cent of our waking hours at work. Our working environments have changed rapidly, with new communication technologies and expanding access to the internet to enable us to work outside the workplace at any time of the day or night. More demands with increased competition, pressure for efficiencies and higher productivity. The extent and pace of workplace change, when coupled with a working environment that doesn’t take account of people’s mental well-being lead to physical and mental health imbalance.

Aside from the social obligation, creating a mentally healthy workplace can result in productivity benefits and make the workplace more attractive to staff. We have run events around the country on this issue and in Queensland we started and ended our calendar discussing Mental Health. On 30 October our FutureNet Brisbane team pooled their resources and worked hard to bring together Mind Matters – the Battles of 2020 – a dinner attracting over 100 people. Our two speakers, Gerry Doyle and Nick Hanly both shared their personal stories. There were tears, laughter and openness but above all there was education. Everyone in the room learned that it is ok to talk about mental health, it is ok to admit if you suffer from panic attacks, anxiety, stress or depression, that it

is ok to ask others how they are feeling and it is ok to take a sick day when you need it, just because you don’t have a physical injury or ailment doesn’t mean you don’t need time to recover.

On a lighter note, an annual initiative in Queensland is to bring together a number of the States Directors-General and talk about issues affecting our industry and the State. This year we were lucky enough to be able to talk candidly with the Directors-General from Health, Education, Transport, Treasury, Housing and Public Works, State Development, and the Premiers office. We used the opportunity not only to talk about pipeline and procurement but significant issues keeping our industry awake at night – Professional Indemnity Insurance and improving contractor and consultant relationships. This forum is an important date in the Queensland calendar and one of incredible value for all our members, particularly for those organisations sitting at the table representing you.

We thank all our members and clients for their support this year and wish you a safe and happy Christmas.

Check out our webpage for all upcoming networking, events and training opportunities.

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What’s happening at Consult Australia

Consulting Matters

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NSW

Linda Gaunt Along with strong representation from the NSW membership Consult Australia responded to the Design and Building Practitioners Bill 2019. Consult Australia is also a member of a joint industry association group which recently met with Minister Andersens' Chief of Staff Gavin Melvin to provide feedback into the draft Bill. We have worked hard to engage with Government and parliamentarians to advocate our members' views. The Bill was tabled on 24 October 2019 and can be seen here.

Dr Marianne Foley from Arup and I had an opportunity to meet with the NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler and hear about what he has been working on and plans into the future. Since then David Chandler has been back in touch with Consult Australia and asked to meet with a small group of our members to seek feedback on his current work and ongoing plans towards reform.

Our most recent seat at the table Boardroom Luncheons have been with Dr Jon Lamonte the CEO of the Sydney Metro and Mr Simon Draper the CEO of Infrastructure NSW. Both events were sold out and very well received by our members in attendance. Thank you to our member company AECOM for sponsoring the luncheon with Dr Lamonte. We have two more Boardroom luncheons this year being Mr Graham Millett the CEO of the Western Sydney Airport and Ms Romilly Madew the CEO of Infrastructure Australia. Both luncheons are selling well and sure to be a must attend event for our members.

FutureNet 5-5-5: Richard Palmer (Integral Group), Nicolas Roe (Arcadis), Julian Siu (GML Heritage), Casthuri Kamalaraj (SMEC) and Meg Panozzo (Arup)

FutureNet Sydney is going from strength with a well organised committee who seamlessly plan and work through their event calendar on an annual basis. Their most recent event was the annual 5-5-5 Event. This event combines learning with networking and this year’s topic was Design Innovation, with 5 speakers, 5 topics and 5 minutes ensuring the theme of the evening. With two more events this year they are a very busy group of young professionals.

FutureNet Newcastle has also worked hard this year with their most recent event being a Quiz Night. This event was sell-out and partial proceeds of the event are being donated to Beyond Blue. Into the future as the small and passionate committee grows, we are sure to see many more professional events from FutureNet Newcastle.

2019 FutureNet Business Leaders Awards Night Graham Davis King (Deerubbin Land Council) and Eric Avery

The 2019 Consult Australia Future Business Leaders Program closed with a fabulous awards presentation evening at Luna Park on Thursday 3 October. The theme of the evening was “Feel the Connection”.

brilliance threaded throughout them.

The 2019 program saw Consult Australia work closely with the Deerubbin Local Aboriginal Land Council who tasked the participant groups to design the future of the Old Parramatta Gaol.

Stay tuned for information on the Future Business Leader Program Alumni group. It is the intention that the alumni group will meet up to three times per year and that they will be tasked with assisting with the content and relevance as well as the marketing of on-going programs.

The evening commenced with a traditional Smoking Ceremony and Acknowledgement to Country and was followed by a moving Digeridoo and Violin Duet. With five groups vying for the coveted winning trophy it was a great pleasure to see Consult Australia CEO Nicola Grayson award team Parra Matters with the prize. Team Warner Brothers very deservedly won the Peoples Choice Award, voted by Consult Australia members.

The Head Judge, Michelle Washington from the Government Architect, commented to the 130 people present on what a very hard task it was for the judges as all presentations had elements of

Work has already commenced on the 2020 FNBL program and information is available by emailing nsw@consultaustralia.com.au.

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Consulting Matters What’s happening at Consult Australia

VIC

Kathy Uhlik In early September, the Victorian Parliament passed the Professional Engineers Registration Bill. Of continuing concern to Consult Australia, and its members, is this legislation does not explicitly include mutual recognition and registration, creating complexities and unintended consequences which will inevitably create additional regulatory burden. Additionally, it can be expected there will be a significant increase in the cost of doing business across related supply-chains in infrastructure, construction, manufacturing, resources, and property sectors. Given the range and scale of projects that Consult Australia members are currently delivering in Victoria, and the capacity constraints in our industry, Consult Australia continues to actively engage with Government to ensure there is no impingement on the movement of skills and expertise in our industry.

The Department of Treasury and Finance (DTF) is currently reviewing the Construction Supplier Register (CSR). The CSR plays a key role in streamlining and promoting efficiency in public construction procurement processes for Government and industry and is regularly used by a significant number of government agencies. This includes all major government infrastructure delivery agencies, and approximately 20 local councils. The last broad ranging review of the CSR function occurred over ten years ago. A matter which has come to light as part of this review is an amendment relating to VBA registration of staff in the relevant categories a firm wishes to register, which was previously all that was required and had been readily accepted to qualify for the CSR, to now needing ASIC registered directors to hold VBA registration in all categories for which the company seeks prequalification. This would require directors to be practicing engineers, maintaining relevant registrations (VBA, NER, etc) and undertaking/maintaining technical CPD. Consult Australia has raised this concern with DTF and continues a dialogue to understand the reasoning behind this change. We will keep members informed of the outcomes of these conversations and the impacts upon your organisations.

The Office of Projects Victoria (OPV, a part of DTF Victoria) has started the process of creating a ‘Victorian Major Projects Pipeline’ (VMPP) document and website. In October they ran a series of focus group workshops for construction industry service providers, including consultants and architects. OPV’s aim is for the VMPP to assist the broader built industry by providing visibility to the market, allowing companies to undertake effective financial and human resource planning, as well as offering enhanced information to the market on the government’s forward program. The intention is this will encourage strategic investment by the market by creating more certainty and enhancing attractiveness of Victorian projects to suppliers.

The Victorian Committee has commenced planning for 2020 and we are looking forward to holding a number of events in regional

The Victorian Committee has commenced planning for 2020 and we are looking forward to holding a number of events in regional Victoria throughout the year. The Division Committee recognises the importance of being connected to and acknowledging the growth in our regional cities.

Victoria throughout the year. The Division Committee recognises the importance of being connected to and acknowledging the growth in our regional cities.

Our Victorian FutureNet Committee is also well into planning mode.

This group of young professionals continues to impress me with their desire to create an informed and active network of colleagues who not only enjoy the social aspect of being part of FutureNet, but also strive to enhance the unique educational value of being a FutureNet member.

Our Tasmanian members will see a much greater Consult Australia presence in 2020, with a number of events being planned, as well as a re-boot of the Division and FutureNet Committees in the state.

Tasmania is currently undergoing a major infrastructure boom, and that means much greater opportunity for involvement in a number of Consult Australia activities throughout the sector. I’m looking forward to meeting with many of you in the new year as we discuss specific issues facing the Tasmanian consulting landscape.

For any division queries, contact Kathy on kathy@consultaustralia.com.au Please see the website for more details and to register for upcoming events, here.

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What’s happening at Consult Australia Consulting Matters

WA

Steve Coghlan Nicola Grayson, CEO and I both recently met with John Langoulant AO and Lance Glare, Chair and CEO of Infrastructure WA (IWA) respectively, to discuss our recently released policy paper on Business Case Development in Australia. With IWA now in the process of developing WA’s 20-year infrastructure strategy, meetings like these provide a great opportunity for Consult Australia to help contribute positively to IWA’s overall best practice approach to business case development within the State. As such, Consult Australia looks forward to working further with IWA in this area, and others, for the benefit of all West Australians.

On the push for fairer contracts, I was humbled to recently receive public acknowledgement of our collaborative work with WA’s peak Construction Contractors Association (CCA WA) at their annual industry gala dinner. This annual dinner is attended by the ‘who’s who’ of construction in WA each year, including key Government Ministers and Officials, Opposition Members of Parliament and other key industry players within our sector, and it was great to be acknowledged in this way at such an event.

On the Parliamentary Inquiry front, we are still eagerly awaiting the report from the Public Administration Committee’s (PAC) Inquiry into Contract Management Practices at which Sheldon Krahe, WA Division Chair and I gave evidence. Our submission was very well received by the Inquiry and we believe many of the recommendations we made as part of the process have a good chance of being adopted as part of the WA Governments ongoing procurement reform project.

at which Gerry Doyle, Consult Australia President and CEO of Tonkin, gave a very powerful personal account of his own struggles with mental health issues and how he has gone about successfully managing these at a time whilst being at the top of his game. We have also recently held a very successful members-only boardroom lunch with Peter Woronzow, Managing Director of Main Roads WA, and our FutureNet Committee has run a most enjoyable and successful Trivia Night for our young professionals.

Coming up we have FutureNet WA’s EOY Event on November 22 with Sue Murphy AO and our annual Consult Australia WA Division Sponsors Lunch the week after on November 28.

Moving into next year, our invitation only Architects and Engineers Roundtable is scheduled for Wednesday, February 12.

To find out more on what we are doing in the advocacy space and what upcoming events are happening in WA, please visit our website here.

As always, for any further information, feel free to email us at wa@consultaustralia.com.au

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On the events front we have had a number of recent successful Consult Australia and FutureNet events held in WA inclusive of a combined event on Striving for Mentally Healthy Workplaces

ConsultHR ConsultHR is an online web-based subscription tool that enables businesses to comply with current Australian industrial relations laws and demonstrate best practice in their human resources, industrial relations and work health and safety management.

You can view ConsultHR here or get more information by clicking here.

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Consulting Matters What’s happening at Consult Australia

SA

Jan Irvine Another busy three months have passed since our last report. An update on our advocacy priority issues is below.

The Business Case Development in Australia report has garnered interest across a range of government departments and agencies and is also being used by members when meeting with clients as a reference to the critical success factors identified across the most successful business cases. We have met with Mr Jeremy Conway, Executive Director of Infrastructure SA and The Hon Rob Lucas MLC, Treasurer of South Australia to discuss the report’s findings and the potential for better outcomes with an integrated and collaborative project management approach to business case development.

The South Australia Productivity Commission Inquiry into Government Procurement Stage 2 has now delivered its draft report for public consultation. Consult Australia was quoted throughout the report on a range of topics including: the benefits of better procurement, the evaluation of value over cost and the benefits of using standard contracts. In our further response to the Draft Recommendations in the Draft Report, we urged the Productivity Commission in its Final Report to provide more concrete requirements on public sector agencies to change tendering practices to ensure that these barriers are removed on the ground not just in policies so the benefits can be realised.

We also therefore strongly supported the Productivity Commissions recommendation that the merits of various construction procurement models as well as model clauses and contracts be considered.

Finally, we urged the Productivity Commission in its Final Report to provide more concrete requirements on public sector agencies to use standard contracts and model clauses rather than simply refer to these in the State Government Intellectual Property Policy guidance.

The Final Report was presented to Government on 8 November 2019.

On the events and industry engagement front we have recently held successful Industry Breakfasts on Lot Fourteen and the City Deal and the new SA Planning Reforms. Another successful series of Boardroom Lunches has been enjoyed in 2019, with a lunch held early October with The Hon Rob Luca MLC, a late October date with The Hon David Speirs MP, Minister for Environment and Water and rounding out the year with The Hon Stephan Knoll MP, Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government and Minister for Planning on 6 November.

As always, details of all our events can be found on our website and please feel free to contact sa@consultaustralia.com.au for any further information.

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We reiterated that Consult Australia strongly supports improvements to contracting arrangements, including active consideration of various procurement models and the use of standard contracts. Our response also reasoned that different procurement models have different advantages and we encouraged public sector procurement professionals to select the best procurement model for each project, rather than always selecting the same model, for example a Design & Construct model.

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NT

better manage building quality, but not additional layers of regulation that fail to address the problems in the building and construction process. We support regulation that will de-risk the market and that does not impose unnecessary financial and administrative burdens on industry.

There has been much written about building safety and industry compliance with required standards since the Grenfell Tower fire in London in June 2017 raised global concerns. As a result, Australian governments strongly committing to ensuring the safety of Australia’s buildings through effective regulation, certification and enforcement, and working with the sector to support industryled initiatives to improve practice and compliance. In March of this year the Australian Building Ministers Forum released the BCR Implementation Plan which shows how each recommendation is being considered by all States and Territories.

Consult Australia believes that building quality could be achieved if there was a shift away from the prioritisation of time and cost over other factors such as quality and sustainability. All project participants need to collaborate more effectively and provide their expertise throughout the life of the project. Further, the liability and responsibility of parties must be in line with their contribution to the project. As this issue progresses in the Top End, we will keep members informed.

Jan Irvine

The Northern Territory wrote to the NT Division outlining the government’s commitment to proving a robust building regulation based on best practice, and in late September, Consult Australia was invited to participate in an Industry Forum on building regulation framework reform in the Northern Territory.

Consult Australia agreed that confidence must be restored to the broader community regarding the quality control for building construction in Australia, and that we support appropriate reforms to

Our Boardroom Breakfast series this year has seen us meet with The Hon Dale Wakefield MLA, Minister for Renewables, Energy and Essential Services; Julie Jenkins Executive Director – Industry Growth, Department of Trade, Business and Innovation and we will close out the year with our November 27 breakfast with Hayley Richards, Senior Executive Director – Investment Northern Territory, Department of Trade, Business and Innovation and Jason Howe – Executive Director, Oil & Gas. Details of upcoming events can be found on our website, so jump on regularly and see what’s happening!

What’s happening at Consult Australia Consulting Matters

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ACT

Caitlin Buttress The last quarter has seen the ACT Division busy with events, consultation and advocacy, with the release of the ACT Government’s Infrastructure Plan and planning underway for an engineering registration scheme.

On 5 September, Executive Committee Chair and I were invited to attend the Planning and Construction Industry Chief Executive Reference Group (PACICERG) hosted by the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate (EPSDD) and including Minister for Urban Renewal, Rachel Stephen-Smith MLA, senior representatives from relevant government agencies including the National Capital Authority, the ACT Government Architect, and a few key industry associations. The primary agenda items included a brief regarding the new ACT Design Review Panel and an update on building reforms. Ahead of the meeting, Consult Australia, Professionals Australia, and Engineers Australia met to discuss our shared policy priorities on relevant issues such as an ACT engineering registration scheme, the upcoming infrastructure plan, and building reforms. During the PACICERG, industry was called on to raise issues for discussion and Professionals Australia, Engineers Australia and Consult Australia demonstrated a united voice, all touching on engineering registration, calling for any scheme introduced in the ACT to have adequate mutual recognition across borders to limit the impacts on businesses operating around Australia. As the ACT Government are still in the planning stage for the scheme, the unified message from the industry associations received positive feedback and it is hoped that our engagement will continue throughout the process.

ACT Chief Minister and Treasurer Andrew Barr released the ACT Infrastructure Plan on 16 October, revealing an infrastructure blueprint worth $14 billion in "the areas that matter most". Health, transport, and education remain the top priorities with long-term plans outlined for Canberra Stadium and consideration also being given to a $100m-$250m Canberra Theatre redevelopment in the next five years. The leveraging of private sector expertise and financing is discussed in the plan, with various models for delivering major projects highlighted such as public private partnerships (PPPs), joint ventures and early contractor engagement. However, the model of budget-funded projects delivered by providers sourced through competitive procurement processes will continue to be the primary delivery model into the future.

Consult Australia met with the ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr, Under Treasurer David Nicol, and Chief Projects Officer Duncan Edghill in the lead-up to the release of the Plan, and together with several industry associations, submitted a list of recommendations in September, including a commitment to long-term planning, a regional approach, plans for social and physical infrastructure, bi-partisan support, transparency and industry consultation.

Although not engaged for formal consultation prior to its release, the Government has committed to ongoing consultation with the industry to continue reviewing and updating the Plan.

During October, members of the Consult Australia ACT Executive Committee participated in a workshop with the Executive Team of newly created Major Projects Canberra (MPC) directorate of the ACT Government, overseeing infrastructure delivery in the Capital.

Members discussed issues with various procurement models, concerns about the Professional Indemnity (PI) Insurance market, human resourcing and skills, and how the industry can continue to engage with the government to address some of these issues. We are looking forward to continuing our engagement with MPC to create a better infrastructure delivery environment and collaborate to ensure the best outcomes for our city.

Over the last few months, we have hosted some fantastic events in the ACT, including Boardroom Lunches with the Director-General of Transport Canberra and City Services (TCCS) Alison Playford and her Deputy Jim Corrigan, and Member for Monaro John Barilaro MP. Consult Australia ACT also collaborated with the National Association for Women in Construction (NAWIC) to host a Wellness Industry Breakfast in October with speakers such as ACT Minister for Mental Health Shane Rattenbury and CEO of OzHelp Darren Black. In November, we hosted a Boardroom Lunch with Minister for Transport and City Services Chris Steel MLA, and in December FutureNet ACT are putting on the not-to-be-missed ‘Future State of the Territory: Canberra – the most progressive city?’ which will be headlined by ACT Chief Minister, Andrew Barr.

To book your tickets and see upcoming events, please visit our webpage or contact the ACT Manager.

During the PACICERG, industry was called on to raise issues for discussion and Professionals Australia, Engineers Australia and Consult Australia demonstrated a united voice, all touching on engineering registration, calling for any scheme introduced in the ACT to have adequate mutual recognition across borders to limit the impacts on businesses operating around Australia. As the ACT Government are still in the planning stage for the scheme, the unified message from the industry associations received positive feedback and it is hoped that our engagement will continue throughout the process.

2019 Awards for Excellence

UNDER THE SEA

Consult Australia would like to thank our sponsors Platinum Partner

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Gold Partners

2019 Awards for Excellence Award Categories: Project Team Collaboration Technological Innovation Sustainability in Design Design Innovation External Stakeholder Engagement Client Service Excellence Future Leader Champions of Change – Female Leadership

The Consult Australia Awards for Excellence is an annual event that provides a unique opportunity to profile and promote the outstanding achievements of Consult Australia’s member firms to the industry and community. The Awards have always demonstrated the business acumen and technical excellence of our member firms’ professional staff in project and service delivery and this mandate remains at the heart of the Awards program.

All Consult Australia member firms are eligible to enter any of the Awards categories. Firm of the Year Awards are selected according to staff size i.e. firms with less than 20 staff were eligible for Small Firm of the Year, firms with 20-199 staff are eligible for Medium Firm of the Year and firms with more than 200 staff are eligible for Large Firm of the Year.

Consult Australia encourages each of its member firms to submit at least one entry to ensure they have the opportunity to be recognised for their outstanding work. Winners of the 2019 Consult Australia Awards for Excellence were announced at a gala black-tie dinner at Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney on Thursday, 24 October 2019.

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Consulting Matters 15

AWARD CATEGORIES Project Team Collaboration

Design Innovation

Recognises exemplary collaboration initiatives between a member firm and its client.

Recognises member firms who have demonstrated outstanding innovation in any aspect of the design process.

External Stakeholder Engagement Recognises exemplary collaboration between a member firm and the broader project or engagement team (e.g. joint venture or alliance partners, subcontractors etc).

Client Service Excellence Recognises member firms who have delivered exemplary customer service throughout the course of a client engagement or project. Entry in this category requires member firms to be either nominated or endorsed by the client.

Sustainability in Design Recognises the achievement of sustainable outcomes on an internal or external project through innovative design and/or the innovative application of sustainable materials and principles.

Technological Innovation

Champions of Change – Female Leadership Recognises a mid or senior level female professional who has demonstrated leadership capabilities and/or is championing change within her firm or in the industry more broadly.

Future Leader Acknowledges professional staff of member firms aged 35 years and under who have made a significant contribution to their firm and added value in a demonstrable way.

Business Innovation – Small Firm The Business Innovation Award recognises member firms with less than 20 FTE who have demonstrated innovation in the conduct of their business either through process, people or use of technology.

Recognises member firms who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in the innovative application of new or existing technology.

TYPES OF AWARDS Gold Award of Merit Awarded to projects or initiatives considered by the judges to be of excellence based on the criteria nominated.

Highly Commended Awarded to projects acknowledged by the judges to be finalists for consideration for a Gold Award of Special Merit.

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SPECIAL AWARDS President’s Award

Large Firm of the Year

Made by Consult Australia’s President in recognition of the individual or firm who has contributed most to Consult Australia and/or the industry over the course of the preceding year.

Firms with 200+ employees with a nomination in any of the award categories are eligible.

Medium Firm of the Year Firms with 20 – 199 employees with a nomination in any of the award categories are eligible.

JUDGING Consult Australia would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank each of the judges on the 2019 panel for generously donating their time and expertise to support this year's Awards for Excellence.

All judges are independent and are engaged to ensure the highest possible standards of fairness and impartiality are applied to the judging process. All judges are also required to ensure the confidential nature of all submissions is maintained.

Judges: Tony Barry Vice President, FIDIC Helen Gillies Non Executive Director, Monadelphaus Phil Davies Infrastructure Advisory Partner, Deloitte and former CEO of Infrstructure Australia Professor Brian Uy Head of School for Civil Engineering, The University of Sydney The judging criteria applied to select the Award winners principally revolves around consulting excellence. This is reflected through the originality, innovation, quality, results and impact of each submission. Community, environmental and social aspects are also considered.

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Consulting Matters 17

PRESIDENT'S AWARD DAVID SINGLETON AM

David Singleton AM is the highly deserving recipient of the year’s Consult Australia President’s Award as selected by outgoing President, Kiri Parr. David has been a leading subject matter expert for over 40 years on enterprise sustainability, infrastructure, leadership and resilience for the infrastructure and built environment sectors.

While we are particularly grateful for David’s service to, and engagement with, Consult Australia in numerous capacities over many years (including as President and Awards for Excellence Judge), this Award is also being made in acknowledgment of all the work David has done personally, professionally and with other associations, educational institutions, institutes, councils and forums—in dedication to the betterment of our industry.

Moreover, this award is a way to share and celebrate his passion for both the work we do as an industry and the role that work can play in the betterment of society, David’s desire to continuously improve the way we do it—whether it be from a highly technical or human centric position (or any point in between)—and to thank you for your willingness to not only champion all these

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David is a strong advocate for the advancement of women in the engineering industry and throughout his career has influenced the introduction of initiatives and policies including paid maternity leave and flexible working schemes. things, but also to actively pitch in and work for them.

In 2018 David was recognised as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to engineering, particularly through creating sustainable infrastructure for cities and communities. David is a strong advocate for the advancement of women in the engineering industry and throughout his career has influenced the introduction of initiatives and policies including paid maternity leave and flexible working schemes.

In August 2014 David retired from a career of 40+ years with Arup, where he spearheaded sustainable business growth through a variety of senior executive

roles including CEO and Chairman of Arup Australasia, Chairman of Global Infrastructure (based in UK) and Global Planning leader. From 2004-2011 he was also responsible for global strategy development on diversity and sustainability.

A Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering, and an Honorary Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia, David has received many awards for his work, including five times as one of the 100 Most Influential Engineers in Australia (Engineers Australia) award and as Finalist, CEO of the Year (Equal Opportunity in the Workplace).

Congratulations David, the 2019 Consult Australia President’s Award recipient.

2019 FIRMS OF THE YEAR MEDIUM FIRM OF THE YEAR

At Tonkin, they put a high value on curiosity and collaboration, thriving on solving complex problems and finding creative and progressive ways to exceed the expectations of their clients.

Tonkin Consulting are a leading provider of engineering, environmental and related services to private and public organisations.

Since 1955, Tonkin has provided solutions and strategic advice for all tiers of government and private clients across all industries, with a focus on the buildings, environmental, land development, marine and riverine, transport, waste and water sectors

At Tonkin, they put a high value on curiosity and collaboration, thriving on solving complex problems and finding creative and progressive ways to exceed the expectations of their clients. Tonkin bring holistic thinking to the table, working for the benefit of the natural environment as well as the project at hand.

Tonkin attributes its success and longevity to firmly believing in and maintaining their core values. This starts with their people.

Their employees are their business and they take great pride in retaining high calibre professionals in a competitive environment

with most staff members being long-term employees who truly value and respect the client relationships they’ve formed.

Tonkin Consulting also values their clients; they feel that rather than working for them, they collaborate to achieve their goals with outstanding results.

At Tonkin the safety of the community, its clients and staff are always at the forefront of its work and actions. Their goal is to always act with integrity—maintaining open, transparent communication based on respect. Ultimately Tonkin plans and designs with a bigger picture in mind, always aiming to add unexpected value that benefits every stakeholder.

Judges’ Comments: 'Tonkin Consulting are to be congratulated for winning Medium Firm of the Year, the judges were particularly impressed by the focus Tonkin has on its people and their continued growth and success.

Consulting Matters 19

2019 FIRMS OF THE YEAR LARGE FIRM OF THE YEAR

Arup originally came to Australia to undertake the structural design of the Sydney Opera House and from there now work from eight offices across four key areas of influence: cities, connectivity, health, and resources. Their desire to shape a better world ensures clients receive smart design ideas with a social purpose, which will have a positive influence for current and future generations.

Arup are an independent firm of designers, planners, engineers, consultants and technical specialists, working across every aspect of today’s-built environment. They were founded on the belief that the built environment can change people’s lives for the better. Every day, their aim is to help

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clients solve their biggest challenges by harnessing their diverse skills and constantly expanding what’s technically possible.

Arup’s commitment to a sustainable approach to all its projects is both enshrined in a formal sustainability policy and embraced personally by the individuals that together make up the firm. Arup’s ownership structure actively reinforces this approach and holds the firm accountable to its own people for its independent approach, and to its social and corporate responsibility. Arup remains a diverse group of individuals from a range of cultural backgrounds. This diversity helps foster the creativity that is Arup’s hallmark.

Arup are an independent firm of designers, planners, engineers, consultants and technical specialists, working across every aspect of today’s-built environment.

2019 FIRMS OF THE YEAR

Judges Comments: 'In 2019, Arup has demonstrated excellence across a variety of award categories winning three Gold Awards in the Champions of Change Female Leader, Design Innovation and Future Leader Categories and a Highly Commended for Project Team Collaboration.

The three winning submissions are to be commended for their high standard and overall excellence. Arup is the deserving winner of the Consult Australia 2019 Large Firm of the Year.'

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CONGRATULATIONS TO EACH OF OUR 2019 GOLD AWARD WINNERS PROJECT TEAM COLLABORATION Caulfield to Dandenong Level Crossing Removal Project Aurecon [with the Alliance – Lendlease, CPB Contractors and WSP]

The Caulfield to Dandenong Level Crossing Removal Project (CTD) has won the Project Team Collaboration gold award in the 2019 Awards for Excellence. The CTD was a large-scale rail project encompassing the removal of nine level crossings on the Cranbourne/Pakenham line, Melbourne’s busiest. Aurecon [with the Alliance – Lendlease, CPB Contractors and WSP (the Alliance)] created a project which had a strong collaborative culture which drove the entire projects success.

The project was designed to improve service reliability, lower road congestion and improve community and commuter safety. It did this using a range of digital and

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face-to-face tools that had at the centre, collaboration. In conjunction with the Level Crossing Removal Project and Metro Trains Melbourne, the Caulfield to Dandenong Level Crossing Removal Project has been completed by the Alliance).

Caulfield to Dandenong was an innovative approach to removing multiple level crossings on a busy railway line. The elevated design developed by the project team is the first of its kind in Victoria and the design team recognised early on that collaboration via digital tools was essential.

One of the key objectives of the collaboration and which achieved great

results was in the community initiatives implemented after the contract was awarded. Many of these were developed in response to understanding specific issues and concerns ultimately leading to a massive turnaround in community sentiment. Collaboration objectives in this area included: • a ssisting businesses to operate successfully throughout construction, and • a llowing the community to understand how an elevated in rail solution would provide added benefit to them.

The Alliance recognised early in the design phase that collaboration with government

applied to other large-scale infrastructure projects that are currently underway.

Aurecon, with the Alliance produced a project that was cutting edge in both design and approach with ongoing long-term benefits applicable in numerous areas.

Judges Feedback: The judges wish to congratulate the team that worked on the Caulfield to Dandenong Level Crossing Removal Project. "This was a high-profile community engagement and the team demonstrated collaboration that produced great outcomes for the community. The tools used on this project were a good use of technology to drive collaboration and connect with the community." and even within the Alliance via a digital platform would be the best method to engage stakeholders. The VizRT platform was chosen and augmented to perform real-time and interactive signal sighting visualisations of what train drivers would see on any given day. This gave both the design team and external stakeholders impacted by this project a better ability to understand what the finished project would look like. By working with the VizRT

platform Aurecon and the Alliance allowed teams to design in real time and identify and deal with issues as they arose.

All nine level crossings were removed by June 2018 and practical completion of core components was achieved in October that same year. Power and signalling upgrades are ongoing. Many lessons were learnt on this project and the processes put in place to deal with them have been able to be

The judges also provided further feedback on the category overall saying that, "Infrastructure projects have always relied on collaboration and we need to start looking above and beyond on our projects and not settle for business as usual."

They felt that they didn’t see collaboration featured as much as expected or similarly, see it featured across multiple firms/ geographies for the category this year.

They look forward to seeing what will be produced and featured next year.

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TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION Arcadis PFAS Remediation for Australian Aviation Client

Arcadis, and their technology partner Evocra, recently deployed an Australian developed, world first technology to remove PFAS from an impacted complex waste stream.

This was in response to a serious incident that occurred when an Australian airway accidentally released a large amount of Aqueous Film Forming Foam (firefighting foam) containing PFAS into the local environment.

This resulted in a large number of cocontaminants and PFAS concentrations (< 1 ug/L to > 20 mg/L) being discharged into the site’s infrastructure including the sanitary and storm sewer system, and a creek adjacent to the site. The emergency response involved shutting down the sewer system and closing recreational fishing areas, however, it was clear that full-scale treatment of the impacted water

was also required. As a result, Arcadis was commissioned to assess the site, locate and evaluate applicable technologies, and manage the project from beginning to end.

The project brought a number of challenges including the fact that Arcadis’ expert remediation specialists had to deal with a complex water matrix of sewage, industrial solvents, and brackish creek water, and deliver results in a time critical manner.

The fact that there was also highly variable PFAS concentrations (1 to> 11,000 ug/L), and stringent treatment criteria (total PFAS

by TOP Assay of 250 ng/L concentration of 250 ng/L, +99.99% removal) added to the complexity of the job.

The biggest challenge Arcadis had to overcome was the fact that there was little or no precedence for wastewater treatment to remove PFAS. Without any procedures

Arcadis and Evocra proved that the process of ozone fractionation can successfully treat large volumes of liquid waste containing various levels of PFAS and other co-contaminants (surface water, rain water, trade waste) which would otherwise be discharged into the environment.

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in place, Arcadis and Evocra utilised the process of ozone fractionation with a secondary treatment methodology using nanofiltration to successfully treat 15ML of wastewater over 18 months. Arcadis was able to meet the strictest discharge requirements at a commercial scale by any regulator worldwide, generating no spent media and saving the client an estimated $20M in potential alternative waste disposal costs.

During the operation, the health and safety of workers and the surrounding community were of major concern. Arcadis utilised its industry knowledge and expertise to ensure that the project was carried out safely and effectively while staff continued to work on site with complex equipment, third-party involvement, and hazardous material.

Arcadis and Evocra provided a complete environmental and human health solution to meet stringent emergency guidelines, leading the solution at a site with many complex and variable waste streams to satisfy the client and various stakeholder’s needs. The team delivered the entire project – from design, to build and commission – within a five-week period.

This demonstrated to the client an ability to achieve the latest technical innovations to the highest standards within a compressed timeframe.

Arcadis and Evocra proved that the process of ozone fractionation can successfully treat large volumes of liquid waste containing various levels of PFAS and other cocontaminants (surface water, rain water, trade waste) which would otherwise be discharged into the environment. The technology Arcadis employed exceeded client expectations, met regulatory requirements and proved that ozone fractionation is a viable remedial approach for PFAS impacted sites.

Judges Comments: Arcadis and their partner Evocra are to be congratulated on winning the Gold Technological Innovation Award. "The level of innovation involved in this project was particularly impressive to all of the judges, as it was delivered in an almost emergency response timeframe." PFAT Remediation was a high pressure project for a very high profile public project â&#x20AC;&#x201D; added to which the technology had not been used in this application before, so Arcadis are to be congratulated and truly deserve this Award as they really took it to a new level. "This is, in so many ways, a project for now and for the future. Arcadis are a deserving winner of this year's Technological Innovation Gold Award."

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SUSTAINABILITY IN DESIGN Caulfield to Dandenong Level Crossing Removal Project Aurecon [with WSP]

Aurecon [with WSP] have won the 2019 Consult Australia Gold Award for Sustainability in Design for the Caufield to Dandenong Level Crossing Removal Project (CTD). The award recognises the achievement of sustainable outcomes on projects through innovative design and the application of sustainable materials and principles.

CTD was a landmark infrastructure project that removed nine level crossings along Melbourne’s busiest rail corridor. The project was delivered by an Alliance that comprised CPB Contractors, Lendlease, WSP, Aurecon, Metro Trains Melbourne and the Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP).

Going over and above simply removing nine level crossings, the project built five new architecturally-designed stations with new modern facilities; and 22.5 hectares of new open space.

An innovative elevated rail design allowed the previous ground-level brownfield rail corridor to be transformed into new green space, recreation facilities and commuter car parking. The ‘skyrail’ approach allowed for unprecedented positive sustainability outcomes through wholesale design and materials use raising the bar for future infrastructure projects.

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Not only was this Melbourne’s largest re-gifting of urban land to the public since the Botanical Gardens opened in 1846, it also created a meaningful opportunity to maximise ecological outcomes while vastly improving freedom of movement through this suburban space.

Project Director Melissa Dobric commended the team on their achievements. “This win is the result of our team’s passion for sustainability and our commitment to implement all of the initiatives we set out to achieve.”

“We have created the largest urban open space in Melbourne since the Botanical Gardens were established in mid 1800s.

Communities that were once separated by the rail corridor are now connected and everyone is enjoying the new space.”

“The outcomes delivered through this project show what can be delivered in the context of a major transport infrastructure project. These sustainability outcomes would not be possible without the hard work and dedication by our entire project team. Now, future generations will reap the benefits from what we have created.”

The CTD Project had a whole-of-life vision and approach to sustainability, from design

through to construction and operation. The project team worked tirelessly to deliver the best and most sustainable community benefits in the face of multiple challenges.

In the process, the project reimagined the traditionally restricted rail corridor and transformed it into an open and connected community asset that raised the bar for future large-scale infrastructure projects. All nine level crossings were removed mid2018 and achieved practical completion in October the same year. Power and signalling upgrades are ongoing.

Judges Comments Both Aurecon and their partner WSP are to be congratulated for winning the Sustainability in Design Gold Award for the Caufield to Dandenong Level Crossing Removal Project. This project has shown what is possible by maintaining the heritage features but injecting the corridor with long-term viability. The judges were very impressed that firms are looking at this small a level of detail to find sustainability gains for their projects. They look forward to this approach becoming business as usual for these projects going forward. Aurecon [with WSP] should be extremely proud in what they have achieved with the Caufield to Dandenong Level Crossing Removal Project.

Consulting Matters 27

DESIGN INNOVATION Arup Green Square Library and Plaza

With population pressures rapidly reshaping our cities, we are seeing unprecedented densification. One of the largest urban regeneration projects in Australia, Green Square is just 3.5km from Sydney’s CBD. The neighbourhood is transforming the city’s oldest industrial area into a vibrant, sustainable and connected community, creating a new style of urban living. Green Square Library and Plaza has taken out this year’s Design Innovation Gold awards, a testament to the outstanding innovation behind the success of the precinct’s newest addition becoming an oasis for the whole community.

With an anticipated population of 61,000 by 2030 in Green Square, the library brings welcomed community infrastructure to the area, and the clever underground design provides new green space for the densely populated community to enjoy. The Library and Plaza includes a slender glazed entry pavilion, a huge underground open plan community room lit with skylights, a sunken

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DESIGN INNOVATION

garden, a tower with views over the plaza with trees, a green walled amphitheatre, lawn and a water play zone.

Located in a former marshland and below the water table, Arup’s global expertise — across 16 engineering disciplines— was vital in transforming the architects’ below-ground vision into a reality and overcoming the challenges associated with constructing underground in this marsh-like environment. Arup provided a wide range of services including: structural, civil, facades, mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, fire, ESD, traffic, acoustic, lighting, security, waste, AV and IT. “Our global knowledge in underground structures, and clever engineering initiatives overcome the complexities that went towards ensuring this underground library was waterproof and safe, and mitigated the client’s concerns around constructing 

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DESIGN INNOVATION

a library underground in this environment.”

Said Cameron Dymond, property leader, Arup in Australasia.

“It is a civil and structural engineering feat to have an underground library in a previously contaminated, reclaimed swamp”, he added.

Working alongside the architect to establish a comprehensive waterproofing strategy, the plan included a multi-barrier design incorporating four layers of defence to mitigate water ingress. Arup’s civil team also designed a system to manage water flow across the plaza site, utilising the landscaping, particularly tree pits, as a major part of the on-site detention system. Key to the success of the underground facility, are 40 large diameter skylights peppered across the library roof. Arup’s façade, lighting, mechanical and ESD engineers collaborated to design a trafficable and weatherproof solution.

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Taking into consideration the library’s open plan and full-length perimeter joinery, their team also conceived an innovative design for the displacement ventilation system by integrating it within the bookshelves. Air is reticulated along the building’s perimeter edges to joinery, where air plenums and diffusers are located at low level (375mm), allowing seating to be incorporated above them. Arup’s engineering design brings numerous benefits including high level internal air quality, low energy usage, greater cooling efficiency, reduction in cooling loads and improved acoustics due to low velocity diffusers and remotely located fans.

Arup also pushed the boundaries of engineering on the library’s entry pavilion, designing 16metre long fins with rectangular hollow sections to form the slender, delicate yet striking 6-storey glass triangular tower, which minimises heat gain, maximises comfort and conserves energy. To realise

the City of Sydney’s sustainable goals, numerous sustainability elements were integrated into Arup’s design including a central wastewater system and a low energy displacement ventilation system integrated with the bookshelves.

Judges Comments: The Judges wish to congratulate Arup for winning the Gold Award for Green Square Library and Plaza. In what was a very competitive category this year, the Green Square Library was a deserving winner.

"This was a fantastic innovative project with a lot of design challenges where it was great to see the client's requirements being challenged to get a far more innovative project which created a great community outcome. Arup should be applauded for engineering a critical solution in a high-risk environment."

EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT Independent Technical Advisor (WestConnex) GHD

GHD has won the External Stakeholder Engagement Gold Award for Independent Technical Advisor (WestConnex). The External Stakeholder Award was won by GHD for its technical due diligence role on the 51 per cent sale of the Sydney Motorway Corporation, one of Australia’s largest infrastructure transactions.

This sale was completed to enable the delivery and financing of WestConnex, a 33km predominantly underground tolled motorway scheme that, once completed, will form a new inner western bypass of the Sydney CBD, and is Australia’s largest transport project.

GHD were engaged to identify any material technical, engineering, asset condition and commercial risks that may impact the sale.

GHD’s Project Director Jason Fonti said, “Our team is proud to receive recognition for such a landmark, complex transaction.

This was a highly technical project, which included the sale of brownfield and greenfield elements to make way for WestConnex, one of the world’s most complex underground tunnelling projects.”

GHD’s Advisory team worked closely with their client and more than 200 independent advisors to ensure a shared understanding of all commercial, legal and technical

elements of the transaction, and deliver consistency in reporting to both the client and the bidders. “This project exemplified true collaboration, not only across GHD, including people across five offices in 12 disciplines, but also with key stakeholders such as New South Wales Treasury, Sydney Motorways Corporation, the Due Diligence Committee and the other advisors,” Jason added.

development in New South Wales. To deliver and finance the WestConnex project, the NSW Government established Sydney Motorway Corporation (SMC). WestConnex is a 33km, predominantly underground tolled motorway scheme that, once completed, will form a new inner western bypass of the Sydney CBD. Expected completion for the entire WestConnex network is 2023.

Tim Mawhood, GHD’s Project Manager said that the number of documents involved was another significant challenge. “The Vendor Data Room was one of the largest in Australia, with more than 160,000 documents,” said Tim. “We developed a specific data room work stream that made reviewing, filtering and releasing documents much easier for our team.”

Judges Comments:

Despite the demanding project timeline and scope, GHD delivered on time recognising the importance preserving the timeline could have on sale value. This was only possible by their extreme commitment at all times, open communication, facilitation of workshops and its data room work stream.

The judges found this to be a very interesting and challenging role, well executed and comprehensively so. "It was an impressive example of integrated team work to achieve an outstanding result.

All around it was an excellent outcome for what was an enormous project. GHD are to be congratulated in executing such a successful project and are deserving winners of this year’s gold award of excellence."

The sale has generated more than AUD9 billion for the New South Wales Treasury that will be reinvested in infrastructure

The judges wish to commend GHD on winning the Gold Award for Independent Technical Advisor (WestConnex). "It’s wonderful to see consultants working in this advisory space and for GHD they’re to be congratulated because, in terms of the role, this was a very complex undertaking."

Consulting Matters 31

CLIENT SERVICE EXCELLENCE GHDWoodhead Women’s and Children’s Hospital Medical Day Unit and Renal Dialysis Unit chairs at bedsides and personal storage were included in the spatial considerations.

Focus on the families was an important consideration in meeting their client’s needs Donna Rafie, GHDWoodhead’s project lead said, “We focused on effective, ongoing management of our client’s expectations, right down to individual stakeholder management. We also made sure that we established direct points of contacts which created streamlined channels of communication which made it easier for everyone and resulted in the success of the project.”

GHDWoodhead have been recognised for client service excellence for its contribution to the redevelopment of the Adelaide Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

GHDWoodhead’ s multidisciplinary design team was involved from design through to construction in the hospital’s combined Medical Day Unit and Renal Dialysis Unit, transforming the 1970s facilities from dark, cramped spaces into contemporary models of care. The new unit supports best-practice, evidence-based care for one to 18-year-olds and accommodates their families. Development on the facility took place while the hospital continued operation, and with complex temporary location transfer, stakeholder, and fixed site requirements, GHDWoodhead’s approach to client service excellence was vital to the successful delivery of this project.

“GHDWoodhead listened to the needs of our clinicians and consumers,” said Alison Boag, Manager Women’s and Children’s Health Network Major Capital Projects.

“The team had real compassion and care, and this approach has translated to the delivery of exceptional new facilities that meet the needs of consumers, clinicians and broader stakeholders.”

An approach that centred on the patient, their particular needs and the needs of their family was a key design consideration, with treatment bay spaces tailored to accommodate facilities for the family or carer. They made consulting with and responding to end-users their main priority – this was one of the client’s key objectives. They ensured that end-users were involved in all consultation sessions and enabled them to help with graphics and many of the unit’s finishes. For example,

Karlie Ramm, Senior Capital Project Manager for Major Capital Works at the Women’s and Children’s Health Network added, “GHDWoodhead demonstrates a genuine passion for the projects they deliver in healthcare. Their attention to detail with careful consideration to incorporate clinicians and consumers feedback in the design plays a pivotal role. GHDWoodhead go the extra mile to ensure the design will not only have a positive impact on the patients’ journey but create an environment staff can be proud of.”

Judges Comments: The judges wish to congratulate GHDWoodhead for winning this year’s Client Service Excellence Gold Award for the Women's and Children's Hospital Medical Day Unit and Renal Dialysis Unit "They articulated a very structured approach to client services and established a great B2B relationship with their clients." The Principal mastered client service excellence, showing the strength of strong personal relationships." The judges noted that there were some outstanding examples of client support including post-construction and post-occupancy sessions.

"This project was an outstanding example of client service orientation. With a complex array of stakeholders, a fantastic outcome was achieved as evidenced by the ringing endorsement from the client."

"Great people, great relationships and approach to the project. Fantastic in a complex environment, GHDWoodhead has shown what can be achieved by taking the extra step to please their clients and ensure that the project has been extremely well received by all stakeholders involved."

32 Consulting Matters

Consulting Matters 33

FUTURE LEADER Richard Stokes Arup

Since joining Arup, Richard has made a huge contribution to the way they do business with clients locally and regionally. His ability to analyse, interpret and communicate complex data helps to lead effective decision making; carrying out sophisticated analysis and applying considered communication techniques to aid the design process. He strives to develop sustainability strategies for projects that go beyond environmental rating tools, adding real operational value with tangible impacts for clients and building occupants.

He leads by example within Arup’s team, and works closely with other engineers and consultants from different backgrounds bringing skillsets together to deliver Arup’s “Total Design” philosophy.

Richard demonstrates leadership on projects through innovative software and tool use, and in training others. He’s made a significant contribution to improving how Arup’s local and regional sustainability teams work, improving knowledge sharing and data management through best practice digital processes. He is regionally recognised as Arup’s leader for material life cycle assessment (LCA), has developed internal tool guides, and is recognised as a leader in data analysis, building simulation and results visualisation.

Originally studying a master’s in engineering with Honours in Architecture and Environmental Design at the University of Nottingham in the UK, Richard developed a passion for sustainable building design in which he bridges engineering and architecture. Since graduating nearly 10 years ago, he has worked in both the UK, UAE and Australia and is an advocate for better design, using parametric modelling and data visualisation to lead to better outcomes for projects and clients.

34 Consulting Matters

In 2019, Richard was elected Deputy Chair of the Australia Passive House Association Board. The organisation aims to promote Passive House principles as a way of providing superior indoor comfort and air quality while reducing energy use and carbon emissions from Australia’s buildings. Richard is an advocate for better building standards and is exploring how to implement the Passive House principles across a range of building types. In this role, he is also using his data visualisation expertise to improve member engagement.

During the Association’s Ice Box Challenge as part of the 2019 National Sustainable Living Festival, Richard volunteered his time with the event, and helped to communicate outcomes through data visualisation to both the industry and the wider general public.

Richard is also an active and regular presenter at conferences across Australia including Green Building Day, TEMC, the Future of HVAC and Green Cities, Richard is changing the way the industry uses tools to improve sustainable outcomes.

Recent projects include leading the sustainability for the new innovation precinct at the University of Melbourne Melbourne Connect, where the industry leading approach using parametric design and building envelope optimisation has led to the precinct being designed to significantly improve upon standard practice in Australia.

Judges Comments: The judges wish to congratulate Richard on winning the Future Leader Gold Award for 2019 saying: "Richard is a highly skilled committed and innovative professional who has made outstanding contributions both to his own firm and to the industry.

Richard is a great emerging leader who is passionate about thought leadership iwwn sustainability digital processes. Richard is to be commended for not only his work within the office but also providing back to his community in a number of meaningful ways. He should be congratulated and is a deserving winner of the Future Leader Gold Award in what once again was a very competitive field."

Richard is a huge asset to our team. He is constantly receiving glowing feedback on his approach from clients and stakeholders – both internal and external. With Richard’s rigour, focus and passion, I have no doubt he will continue to make a meaningful impact on his colleagues and the industry – a humble leader shaping a more sustainable future for our community.

– Samantha Peart, Sustainability Leader, Vic/SA

CHAMPIONS OF CHANGE – FEMALE LEADERSHIP Kerryn Coker Arup Arup’s Kerryn Coker, Principal & Building Specialists Team Leader, has taken out this year’s Consult Australia’s Champions of Change – Female Leadership Gold award.

The award is a testament to Kerryn’s technical and strategic leadership as well as her commitment to future female leaders.

Kerryn was recently appointed to the Arup Australasia region board where she is part of the leadership cohort responsible for the region wide business of 2500 staff, located across Australia, Singapore, New Zealand and Malaysia. Taking part in strategic decision making, Kerryn plays an integral role in the direction and future successes of the business. Responsible for the board sustainability portfolio, Kerryn is implementing the global sustainability strategy with the UN Sustainable Development Goals at its core.

Arup Australasia chair, Peter Chamley, said Kerryn’s recent appointment to the Australasia Region Board is a recognition of her leadership qualities, high levels of strategic thinking and a drive to deliver technical excellence within the industry. ‘’Kerryn is a passionate advocate for female leadership and equality within STEM, a true role model for our next generation of engineers,’’ said Peter.

Kerryn’s role as Principal within the Sydney Buildings Group involves managing a high-performance team of specialists with a range of diverse skills and disciplines. A proven track record of great success, Kerryn has taken the 50 strong team from strength to strength over the last few years, building up a reputation of excellence within the market.

Kerryn’s strong leadership skills makes her an integral member on Arup's project teams, whether that’s as a façade engineer leading the façade development on innovative projects such as 1 Bligh St or as design manager leading multidisciplinary projects

such as New Acton Nishi, ACT In this role Kerryn worked to change our approach to the leadership of large multidisciplinary buildings projects, implementing new tools and approaches to enable their successful delivery. Kerryn continues to provide strong and successful leadership on large and complex projects in her capacity as project director. Recent projects include Quay Quarter Sydney, and One Sydney Harbour residential towers.

Rob Saidman, Arup’s Buildings Principal, said Kerryn is an integral member of the Arup Sydney Buildings leadership cohort.

She is well respected, leads by example and provides strong strategic direction to her team of specialists.

‘I am thrilled Consult Australia are providing Kerryn the recognition she so richly deserves,’ said Rob. Kerryn has championed change within Arup by leading Australasia’s response to façade fires involving aluminium composite cladding and the impacts this has on

Kerryn continues to provide strong and successful leadership on our large and complex projects in her capacity as project director.

our façade, fire engineering and related offerings - a direct response to the Lacross cladding fire and Grenfell Tower disaster, resulting in the façade and fire industries need to urgently review their practices.

Kerryn is dedicated to mentoring up and coming female engineers and encouraging young women to undertake STEM subjects. Kerryn is particularly engaged in understanding the challenges females face during the mid-grades of their careers, with a focus on introducing new strategies for supporting them during this time.

Judges Comments: "Kerryn is an exceptional role model and should be celebrated for winning this award.

She has shown exemplary behaviour in creating an open culture with staff regarding work life balance with Arup, whilst achieving both personally as well as professionally at a national and regional level. Her technical excellence is to be recognised as she has been involved with significant growth combined with leading a 50 strong building group."

The judges found Kerryn to be the outstanding winner within what was a very competitive category. "Kerryn is an exceptional role model for the entire Arup regional group. She is a deserved winner of the Champion of Change Female Leadership Gold Award for 2019."

Consulting Matters 35

BUSINESS INNOVATION – SMALL FIRMS Sarina Range Reconstruction Works EDG Consulting

The 2km long Sarina Range crossing section of the Marlborough-Sarina Road was devastated by landslides from heavy rainfall during Cyclone Debbie in April 2017. EDG Consulting were engaged by Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads to provide remedial works designs for 25 affected sites along the road.

Despite carrying only 200 vehicles a day, the crossing is a vital transport route and is used by locals, school buses and tourists.

No prescriptive design standard is available for remedial works from natural disasters in Queensland, and current funding constraints limit improvements that can be made to much beyond the pre-disaster standard. Adoption of design criteria for new infrastructure would have resulted in a significantly increased scope of work and increased construction cost and would have potentially rendered portions of the works ineligible for funding under the Federal Government’s National Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) policy.

In such situations, the incremental costs are borne by TMR and the Queensland Government, thereby affecting the ability to deliver other critical services.

Landslides resulting from several different mechanisms occurred during the cyclone event. Innovation brought to the project by EDG Consulting involved the development

36 Consulting Matters

of bespoke design criteria for each of the different circumstances, so as to provide a cost-effective yet robust and practical remedial works design. Development of design criteria involved careful consideration and understanding of the mechanisms that led to the landslides, the risk profile for each site, and the site-specific issues such as construction access and space for reconstruction works.

The evaluation of criteria and remedial works designs drew heavily on the extensive experience of senior EDG Consulting staff in dealing with similar issues in the past. As the owner and maintainer of the asset, TMR, through its local District Office and its expert Engineering and Technology (Geotechnical) Branch were involved in the review, acceptance and approval of the criteria, and the application of the criteria through its review of the designs.

At a technical level, adopted criteria included factors of safety for different circumstances, including short- and long-term conditions, risk-based criteria for cut slope design and reconstruction works based on good engineering principles. The criteria were discussed and approved by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA), the body responsible for the administration of the NDRRA arrangements in Queensland.

The establishment and application of alternative design criteria by EDG Consulting has proven a trigger for TMR to initiate a process to develop its own criteria for reconstruction works in Queensland.

Although that process is not yet complete it will be of major benefit to the engineering community in developing appropriate solutions following disaster events and will allow reductions in capital expenditure for such infrastructure repair projects across Queensland.

Working with TMR, a pragmatic approach was adopted for remedial works designs, resulting in different design criteria for different scenarios. Failed embankments were reconstructed with rockfill and gabion walls, and cut slopes remediated by regrades, soil nails, scaling, rock fill embankments, gabion walls and erosion protection. An open and interactive delivery process was adopted between TMR, Roadtek and EDG to ensure the project was a success. The range was reopened in October 2018 for public use, with works completed in early 2019.

Judges Comments: The judges wish to congratulate EDG Consulting for winning the Business Innovation for Small Firms Gold Award. EDG came up with a pragmatic and innovative solution to a difficult and complex problem.

They had to develop bespoke standards to deal with the issues at hand and should be congratulated for doing so from the framework of a small business. EDG are deserving winners of this year’s Gold Award.

HIGHLY COMMENDED

CLIENT SERVICE EXCELLENCE

DESIGN INNOVATION

Project: More Trains More Services Business Case Support and Strategic Plan Development Firm: Beca

Project: Yandhai Nepean Crossing Firm: BG&E

PROJECT TEAM COLLABORATION

TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION

Project: Arup Sydney’s next generation workplace Firm: Arup

Project: Connecting Infrastructure Firm: GHD

CHAMPIONS OF CHANGE – FEMALE LEADERSHIP

FUTURE LEADER

Natalie Muir Firm: Cardno

Laura Stewart Firm: Aurecon

Consulting Matters 37

38 Consulting Matters

Consulting Matters 39

40

Consulting Matters Business essentialss

Q&A with Ian Hopkins What does the foundation hope to achieve long term?

The Foundation aims to support industry training needs and research initiatives which contribute to the continuing vibrancy of the HVAC&R and building services industry.

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve also been the Chairman of the ARBS Exhibition for almost a decade, what do you think this event contributes to the industry as a whole?

ARBS adds value at a number of levels; the exhibition itself provides the opportunity for suppliers to readily access their customer base. The awards program identifies and congratulates the talent which sustains the industry. The associated Speaker Series and IBtech@ARBS initiative, dedicated to intelligent technology, has developed into a valuable addition to industry training offerings, and the resulting contribution back to the industry via the Foundation only enhances its overall value.

We speak with Chairman of the ARBS Exhibition and ARBS Foundation, Mr Ian Hopkins, to explore the changing landscape of the HVAC&R and building services industry.

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been in this industry for several decades now, how has the industry evolved what are the biggest changes and challenges?

The major change over my 40 plus years in the industry has been the transformation in the risk allocation model. Initially the primary risk taker was the project developer, however design and construction risk are now generally taken by the builder and hence the consultant who is engaged by the builder is generally required to carry increased risk.

The HVAC&R and building services industry continues to grow, what do you attribute that growth to and how long can it continue?

Growth of the industry is due in large part to the general economic growth and Australia in this time has enjoyed an unprecedented period of growth. This in turn has led to an increase in living standards, which the industry contributes to and benefits from.

What do you see as the biggest trend in the industry?

System energy efficiency and the resultant reduction in emissions has been a major focus for the industry for over 30 years and continues to be one of the major areas of innovation and development.

No doubt being involved with the ARBS Foundation is very rewarding, are there any great achievements you could share?

The support of the advanced refrigeration mechanics course at Box Hill TAFE in conjunction with AREMA and AMCA over three years is one of the success stories of the Foundation. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great example of industry identifying a need and the Foundation contributing to meeting this need.

The Foundation has also funded a detailed study on the comparative energy efficient of underfloor, variable volume and chilled beam air conditioning systems.

How should this industry attract new people?

The major points of attraction of any industry is the potential for fulfilling work coupled with career advancement for the participants. It is important that the HVAC&R and building services industry projects this message of opportunity to the community at large and particularly through the school system.

ARBS Exhibition and ARBS Foundation continues to play an important role in these communication initiatives.

What advice would you give to a consultant looking to get ahead in the industry?

To progress a consultant must have a sound knowledge base in their specific field. The ability to communicate and interact positively with the plethora of players who are involved in the design and delivery of a facility is also an essential pre-requisite for success.

Ian Hopkins ARBS

Growth of the industry is due in large part to the general economic growth and Australia in this time has enjoyed an unprecedented period of growth.

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Consulting Matters

Want to talk insurance with someone who knows your industry?

Working your way through your businesses insurance requirements, particularly when it comes to professional indemnity, can be like navigating your way through a forest.

That's why, way back in 2009, Consult Australia created the PI Pathway and partnered with brokers that we were confident not only knew our industry, but would also provide our members with the level of service that we would be happy to endorse.

Bovill Risk IC and Planned Cover have been partners on the pathway since its inception, and nine years later they are continuing to help our members find their way through the insurance forest for not just PI insurance but across all their business insurance needs.

To make sure you have the best available insurance for your business or project contact our PI Pathway Partners now.

Protecting Professionals

Bovill Risk & Insurance Consultants www.bric.com.au

Planned Cover www.plannedcover.com.au

Chris Bovill, Managing Director PO BOX 1020 Richmond North Victoria 3121 1800 077 933 bw@bric.com.au

Simon Gray, State Manager PO Box 1983, North Sydney New South Wales, 2059 1800 077 933 sydney@plannedcover.com.au

Photo courtesy of Seb Zurcher

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Consulting Matters Protecting your business

What is happening in the professional indemnity insurance market for engineers?

In this article BRIC provide you with some insight into the background of the current market, how the insurance industry has reacted, the impact upon your professional indemnity (PI) insurance and what you may do to secure the best outcome for your own insurance.

How did this arise?

The current state of the insurance market for engineers has been many years in the making. After repeated reductions in premiums over the years the claims have finally come home to roost. The basic equation is simple – there is insufficient premium being generated to cover claims.

A large proportion of PI for engineers is placed into Lloyd’s of London (Lloyd’s). For the last two years, the Lloyd’s market has suffered very significant underwriting losses totalling billions of dollars. Lloyd’s is a market place made up of numerous underwriting syndicates each of who are an insurer.

Lloyd’s is the overriding market regulator fiercely protective of the Lloyd’s reputation and profitability. As part of their remediation plan, they have forced each syndicate to review their unprofitable portfolios which in turn has resulted in many syndicates withdrawing from PI insurance in Australia completely.

Also, they have limited the amount of premium each syndicate is approved to underwrite. The impact of this has seen increased premiums for existing businesses.

This in turn means the total limit for each syndicate is reached faster and therefore fewer businesses are able to secure insurance within these limits.

This reduction in supply from Lloyd’s has the knock-on effect with local Australian insurers also examining their own premium income limits and reacting accordingly.

What is the availability of PI insurance today?

The PI insurance market for engineers today remains tight. As mentioned above several Lloyd’s underwriters have ceased offering insurance for engineers, and more specifically, structural/civil engineers.

BRIC do have close relationships with various markets around the world, however they are seeing a tightening and withdrawal of supply in every market.

PI insurance is still available to engineers, but it is extremely important that you approach this market in a strategic manner. Seeking quotes for your renewal from many different brokers is only going to lessen your chance of success. You need to select a specialist broker to help you navigate through this limited market.

What is the effect on cover and premiums?

After the past fifteen years of highly competitive insurance premiums the loss history of engineers has been widely recognised as significant and the premium historically collected inadequate. Whilst visiting London recently, it became clear that not only were insurers wary of the engineering profession but also, they were particularly not attracted to any PI insurance coming out of Australia.

As a result, not only are premiums increasing but cover is reducing through a tightening of numerous issues such as: • Limits are now becoming inclusive of Defence Costs and Expenses as opposed to being in addition; • The amount of cover – i.e. the limits of liability being offered are reducing, where once you could easily secure $10M cover that is now $5M; • Exclusions of activities are being introduced – such as flammable cladding; • High rise business activities are now more closely examined; and • Excesses are increasing.

Your profession is being forced to adjust to a new environment which must result in higher fees being collected to fund these increased insurance premiums and tighter work practices to secure ongoing insurance.

Whilst Lloyd’s is not the only market for engineer’s PI it is indicative of the entire market.

How can you secure the best outcome for your renewal?

BRIC had significant success during the last hard insurance market in the early 2000s and developed tailored strategies that assisted its clients navigate through those difficult times.

Such strategies are still relevant today and include: •R eturn your paperwork to your broker as early as possible. Keep in mind that most insurers will be reluctant to negotiate premiums more than 30 days before expiry.

Sending your paperwork to them three days before expiry will mean you will have difficulties securing renewal; •S tick with your broker if they have specialist expertise and manage PI insurance for many engineers. Now is not the time to be seeking quotes from multiple brokers.

If you do, it will be detrimental to your success; If you are the only engineer your broker looks after – ring us!

•D etail your risk management strategies and dust off those risk management manuals.

You will need to demonstrate you actively follow your risk management strategies; •N ow is not the time for expanding your range of activities – stick to your core competencies.

Chris Bovill BRIC Should you continue to experience difficulties in securing the required professional indemnity insurance and are not already in discussion with us, please call 1800 077 933.

To the extent that any of the above content constitutes advice, it is general advice without reference to your needs or objectives and therefore cannot be relied upon. Before acting on the above information you should obtain advice specific to your needs.

Chris Bovill is the founder and Managing Director of Bovill Risk & Insurance Consultants Pty Ltd (BRIC) and has been arranging professional indemnity insurance for engineers since 1994.

BRIC are specialist professional indemnity insurance brokers who have arranged PI insurance for thousands of engineers.

Protecting your business Consulting Matters

45

How Cbus Property is building for the future

While such technologies are not readily available yet, Cbus’ subsidiary and developer, Cbus Property* is leading the way in green building design.

human-centric design will help us attract the best tenants over the entire lifecycle of the building and in turn maximise returns for our members.

In large scale developments like Collins Arch in Melbourne, work spaces are being created to enhance the wellness of the people who will work there.

This article was brought to you by Cbus, the industry super fund for building, construction and allied industries.

Examples include improved energy consumption through reduced air flow and lighting sensors that determine when spaces are not being used and incorporating greenery as part of an urban forestry strategy to reduce the heat island impact that occurs in large cities.

These are important aspects of green building design. It’s also about futureproofing buildings to enable retrofitting as technology changes such as converting traditional plant rooms into battery storage.

In future, Cbus will own many of these finished buildings as longer-term assets.

Developing buildings with WELL ratings, functional and flexible workplace spaces and

Felicia Goh Cbus

*Cbus Property Pty Ltd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cbus and has responsibility for the strategic performance and management of Cbus direct property developments and investments.

This information is about Cbus. It doesn’t take into account your specific needs, so you should look at your own business needs, objectives and requirements before making any financial decisions. Read the relevant Cbus Product Disclosure Statement and related documents to decide whether Cbus is right for you. Call 1300 361 784 or visit www.cbussuper.com.au for a copy.

Cbus’ Trustee: United Super Pty Ltd ABN 46 006 261 623 AFSL 233792 Cbus ABN 75 493 363 262

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Consulting Matters Corporate social responsibility

RedR Report: Delivering critical humanitarian aid to Rukban, Syria meant was humanitarian aid was delivered to 45,000 people who had not had any significant access to aid or services for at least nearly five months,” said John.

The convoys also permitted the access of a Syrian health team to Rukban who provided vaccinations for children, assessed the general health needs of the population, and provided other basic health services.

In addition, John and his team have been working to ensure the servicing of the health clinic serving the affected population.

“The health clinic is situated in a military zone on the Jordanian side, and is servicing Syrian internally displaced people coming from Rukban. Because of the various concerns on both sides of the border, the clinic requires coordination between humanitarians, military entities and the government to permit its servicing,” said John.

With significant humanitarian assistance still required in the Rukban settlement, John is scheduled to continue in his role until February 2020.

“The civil-military coordination function is an important one as we deal with many different stakeholders in the response environment,” said John.

“It is very much about building relationships so that we can provide a bridge between the government, military, humanitarian agencies and community-based groups to facilitate access, so the affected population can be serviced properly. It’s not over yet and there’s still a great deal of need and that’s what we’ve got to focus on.”

Elliana Saltalamacchia RedR According to United Nations reports, since 2015, tens of thousands of refugees have fled to Rukban - a remote settlement located in Syria, on the border with Jordan - escaping Syria’s civil war. In 2018, aid supplies from Jordan were cut off, leaving no regular food or medical supplies delivered to the Rukban community.

Through the Australian Government’s Australia Assists program, RedR Australia deployed Civil-Military Coordination Specialist, John Kargotich, to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in Jordan, where he has worked to facilitate

humanitarian response in the settlement, located in a military zone.

In particular, John has been instrumental in the coordination of convoys delivering critical humanitarian aid to the affected population.

Supported by John and his United Nations colleagues from the Jordanian side, the cross-line convoys consisted of 20 light vehicles and 100 trucks travelling from the Syrian capital to the settlement.

“Recently, we facilitated two convoys between Damascus and Rukban carrying life-saving food, non-food items and health supplies for the community. What this

Consult Australia is a founding body of RedR Australia. For more information about RedR Australia, take a look at their website: www.redr.org.au John is deployed as part of the Australian Government’s humanitarian deployment program Australia Assists, managed by RedR Australia.

Corporate social responsibility Consulting Matters

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47

In-house training available!

Thinking about professional development?

Consult Australia offers a number of intensive training programs to provide consultants with invaluable skills, knowledge and advice. This powerful training puts you in control and allows you to better protect your business.

For more information visit: http://bit.ly/caeducation

Contracts for Consultants

Safety in Design • Designer duties under current legislation

2020 dates: NSW: 30-1 May

Learn vital information about: • Contract formulation & terms

• Hazard identification tools

• Contractual relationships

• Risk assessment, control, and management

• Liability & Insurance

• Safety in design procedures and documentation

• Professional indemnity insurance

• Onerous contract terms

Facilitated by Tony Horan - one of the most knowledgeable and experienced barristers working in the construction industry in Australia.

Member price: $1,908 Non-Member price: $3,339* Includes the Safety in Design Tool Kit which is free for members.

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2020 dates: NSW: 4 Mar WA: 11 Mar QLD: 13 May SA: 17 Jun VIC: 24 Jun

• Decision making and conveying information • Liability of the Superintendent • Insurance issues Facilitated by Tony Horan - one of the most knowledgeable and experienced barristers working in the construction industry in Australia.

Member price: $1,750 Non-Member price: $2,343

Mar Mar May Jun Jun

• Dispute resolution

• Best practice examples

The Role of the Superintendent

2020 dates: NSW: 5-7 WA: 12-14 QLD: 14-16 SA: 18-20 VIC: 25-27

Member price: $3,446 Non-Member price: $4,368

Did you know that Consult Australia also offers in-house training?

Consult Australia can run our Contracts for Consultants, Role of the Superintendent and Safety in Design courses for your team in-house and can also give you the option to tailor the content to specifically meet your firm’s requirements.

Prices for in-house courses are very competitive and you can get more information here or by emailing education@consultaustralia.com.au.

Nov 2019

Learn vital information about: