Infolink | BPN January / February 2018

JAN | FEB 2018 | Vol 54 | No 1 Print Post Approved PP100007333

The changing faรงades of multiresidential design Prefab & modular construction Power and Power storage Building Automation and security + MORE

IL1802_OFC.indd 1

2/7/18 11:04 AM

PROMASEAL® Split Ezy Split system AC unit mounting bracket with integral fire rated intumescent penetration seal • PROMASEAL® Split Ezy is an innovative solution for the issue of how to protect the services of a split system air conditioner installed on to a fire rated wall.

• PROMASEAL® Split Ezy has been fire tested to AS1530.4 – 2014 for up to 120 minutes in fire rated plasterboard walls.

• PROMASEAL® Split Ezy provides a fire rated penetration seal for the services with no requirement for additional sealing of services or patching of the wall linings.

www.promat.com.au

1800 PROMAT

© Etex Building Performance. 2018/01

• PROMASEAL® Split Ezy has a universal design that can be used with any brand of split system on the market.

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

3

I N FO L I N K - B P N

CONTENTS

EDITOR’S LETTER

S

O, IT’S 2018, AND THERE IS A CONSENSUS ACROSS THE INDUSTRY THAT THIS YEAR WILL SEE MORE CHANGE THAN BEFORE, AND THAT CHANGE WILL BE FELT ACROSS THE ENTIRE BUILT ENVIRONMENT. Take Brisbane-based architect Michael Rayner and his notion that people today prefer dynamic spaces over static environments for work as well as leisure, for example.

“Change,” he says, is something that “holds their interest, which is reflected in the popularity of the pop-up concept.”

Observing that big box retail centres are on their way out, Rayner says street shopping is “trending once again. Brisbane’s Fish Lane, for instance, is a constantly changing alleyway with exposed brick facades decorated with vibrant street art, restaurants, bars and cafes, pop-up food events, street dining, and small boutiques, all combining to give the visitor an eclectic and memorable experience.”

In terms of building materials, CLT (cross-laminated timber) panels are expected to become more widespread moving forward in building construction. Being lightweight, flexible and strong, CLT panels are being considered for timber highrises, replacing steel and concrete used in conventional building.

This year will see sustainability no longer being just an industry buzzword: it has now become an

EDITOR BRANKO MILETIC EDITOR@ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN.COM.AU DEPUTY EDITOR KIRSTY SIER CONTENT PRODUCERS STEPHANIE STEFANOVIC GERALDINE CHUA BONNIE TAI NICHOLAS RIDER PRUE MILLER

integral component in the design of everything - commercial, residential or public. Those that do not have a strategy to ensure what they build and how they build it stays within the parameters of sustainability, are quite literally putting themselves out of business.

As for the real estate sector, well, the only change is that things are set to get worse for those wanting to enter the market.

According to the 14th Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey, Sydney has been ranked as the second least affordable city in the world for the third year in a row, scoring a Median Multiple of 12.9 (higher than last year), while the ‘winner’ Hong Kong scored 19.4, with Vancouver in third place with a score of 12.6.

ON THE COVER: 41 BIRMINGHAM, SYDNEY BY SJB. WITH RAPIDLY GROWING POPULATIONS IN OUR MAJOR CITIES AND ONGOING HOUSING SHORTAGES, MANY PREFAB PROPONENTS ARGUE THAT CONSTRUCTING MULTI-RESIDENCES OFF-SITE IS THE ANSWER, AS IT WOULD OFFER BOTH REDUCED BUILD TIMES AND ENHANCED ECONOMIC VALUE. PHOTOGRAPHY BY FELIX FOREST.

INDUSTRY

04 The latest news & events PEOPLE

26

with Hayball’s 08 Interview David Tweedie with Rachel Neeson 10 Interview from Neeson Murcutt Architects with one of 11 Interview Australia’s most celebrated architects, Bob Nation

DETAIL

These results also saw Melbourne move up from sixth position to fifth, meaning that combined with other Australian cities, we are now the third most unaffordable housing market in the world.

SPECIFY

16

and power storage for 36 Power multi-residential developments

Insofar as the magazine goes, we are launching our new ‘People’ section and are also later this year, set to push up the number of projects from two up to three per issue.

And that is only the start of the changes we will introduce this year.

As they say, the only thing constant is change itself, so welcome to 2018.

BRANKO MILETIC

and multi26 Waterproofing residential bathrooms hinges on a great door 32 What for multi-residential living?

latest in prefab and 42 The modular solutions

47 HVAC & ventilation in

multi-residential settings

Design Studio 16 Melbourne and their ode to postindustrial urbanism

DESIGNERS JULIA GEE TRACEY HEIN LOUIS WAYMENT

CLIENT SUCCESS MANAGER STUART GEACH PHONE: +61 (0)2 9018 2035 STUART.GEACH@ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN.COM.AU

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER ADRIAN WILSON PHONE: +61 (0)2 9018 2037 MOBILE: +61 (0)417 779 215 ADRIAN.WILSON@ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN.COM.AU

FOR SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE: 02 9018 2029 ISSN 1039-9704

50 Apple iPad Pro review 52 Building automation and security 56 Product Showcases

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN LEVEL 1, 50 MARSHALL STREET, SURRY HILLS NSW 2010 PHONE: +61 (0)2 9368 0150 WWW.ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN.COM.AU © Copyright Architecture & Design 2016. All rights reserved. No part of the publication can be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means without the written permission of the publisher. Utmost care is taken to ensure the accuracy of the editorial matter. Product specifications and claims are those of the manufacturers.

Opinions and viewpoints expressed by interviewees, writers and columnists in Infolink BPN do not necessarily represent those of the editor, staff or publisher of the magazine.

23,071 CAB AUDITED DISTRIBUTION MARCH 2016

IL1802_003_contents.indd 3

the gold in multi20 Finding residential design

PRINTED BY BLUESTAR PRINT 83 DERBY STREET SILVERWATER, NSW 2128 PHONE: 02 9748 3411

2/7/18 1:57 PM

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

4

I N FO L I N K - B P N

industry

James Calder, founder of Calder Consultants (Melbourne) – A design practitioner, facilitator, author and part-time educator interested in all facets of the strategy, design and use of the workplace.

Raj Nandan, founder and CEO of Indesign Media (Singapore/Sydney) – Publisher at the design industry’s premier regional media house, Indesign Media Asia Pacific, and founder of the INDE.Awards.

Joshua Comaroff, design consultant at Lekker Architects (Singapore) – A published writer and designer working with his partner Ong Ker-Shing across a broad spectrum of projects with special emphasis on design for the arts, children and seniors.

Shashi Caan, founding partner of SC Collective (New York/Edinburgh) – A design practitioner, design futurist, educator, author and distinguished thought leader for architectural design internationally.

William Smart, founder of Smart Design Studio (Sydney) – An architect channelling a sense of pure modernism for the twenty-first century, and the INDE.Awards 2017 Luminary winner.

Full 2018 INDE.Awards jury below:

Luke Pearson and Tom Lloyd, founders of PearsonLloyd (London) – Founders of a celebrated design studio that works across the aviation, workplace, urban design and healthcare sectors with the goal of identifying and responding to shifting behavioural patterns.

Abbie Galvin, principal of BVN (Sydney) – An architect who has worked for over twenty years on internationally recognised public, educational, health, research and workplace projects.

Luke Yeung, partner of Architectkidd (Bangkok) – A Hong Kong-born, Thailandbased designer interested in exploring local vernacular materials as design starting points for contemporary architecture.

Aric Chen, lead curator of design and architecture at M+ (Hong Kong) – A design critic and curator shaping the collection at the upcoming museum for Asian visual culture in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District.

Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu, founders of Neri&Hu Design and Research Office (Shanghai/London) – Award-winning architectural design practitioners who are also active in teaching and research.

Eleena Jamil, Eleena Jamil Architect (Kuala Lumpur) – An architect focused on creating enduring environments and tactile spatial solutions with strong references to context and visual culture.

Paul McGillick, writer/editor/public speaker, McGillick Consulting (Sydney) – A prominent writer and editor specialising in architecture, art and design. For over a decade, served as editorial director at Indesign Media.

Jan Utzon among jury members for 2018 INDE.Awards Just ahead of the entries closing date on 29 January, Indesign Media Asia Pacific has announced the jury for the second-ever INDE.Awards.

Not unlike last year, the 17-person jury for the 2018 awards consists of leading global minds in the architecture and design industry. Covering a diverse cross-section of industry – from architects to curators to writers, editors and publishers – the panel this year includes some truly iconic names, including Jan Utzon, son of Sydney Opera House designer Jørn Utzon (and established architect in his own right).

IL_1802_004_INDE_news_1.indd 4

Chan Ee Mun, senior associate at WOHA (Singapore) – An acclaimed designer and project leader across a number of residential, commercial, conservation, institutional and hospitality projects.

Jan Utzon, architect at Utzon Architects (Denmark) – Son of Sydney Opera House designer, Jørn Utzon, Jan Utzon has designed acclaimed buildings across the world with a noted focus on improving the lives of citizens of developing nations.

Stephen Burks, designer at Stephen Burks Man Made (USA) – A designer and travel enthusiast with a socially conscious view of design. Burks believes in a pluralistic vision of design that is inclusive of all cultural perspectives. n

2/7/18 1:47 PM

WORLD FIRST FOR INSULATED ROOFING Dual Layer Weather Protection

SecureLap® Sealing Strip

Roof Turn Down

Roof Turn Up

Independently weather tested

by CSIRO

Roof Lapping Done Right

Advantages

SecureLap® is a unique roof lap jointing system that changes the way low pitch long run insulated roofing is designed and installed in Australia. SecureLap® provides a solution to existing troublesome “sheet to sheet endlap” and offers a real alternative to the more expensive “expansion joint” system which requires extra purlins and purlin cleat modifications.

• Unique end-lap system purpose-made for low pitch & long monoslope roofing

The SecureLap® system is significantly easier to install than current lapping alternatives removing the need for sealant and butyl tape which is both messy and difficult to assure a secure seal. This patented and cutting edge technology is designed to provide the additional water ingress security while preserving the integrity of the existing roof warranty. SecureLap® is the only option for the ultimate in end lap protection.

• SecureLap® seal removes reliance on sealant or butyl tape • Allows the turn-up and turn-down of roof pans for added water ingress security • Designed to allow thermal expansion and contraction to suit Australian conditions • Low profile design for visual roof continuity and uniform purlin height • Significantly improves installation time and reduces labour costs • CSIRO tested and conforms to Australian Standards (AS/NZ 4046.9-2002) • BlueScope Steel endorsed warranties

SecureLap® Sealing Strip Fixing Plate with thermal movement control Finger Joint

www.bondor.com.au/securelap Low profile design

1300 300 099 Commercial Roofing Solutions

Leaders in Thermal & Architectural Building Solutions

BON0538 Infolink BPN SecureLap FP Ad v4.indd 1

13/9/17 1:36 pm

IL1802_BONDOR_FP_AD_PG5.indd 5

31/1/18 3:04 pm

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

6

I N FO L I N K - B P N

industry

Is it time we tackled under-compliance in the building industry?

WORDS: NICHOLAS RIDER

It is no secret that Australia’s residential building industry is under-complying. This is backed by industry leaders and a spectrum of reports, programs and initiatives.

Australian Living’s marketing and communications manager, Anthony Lieberman, believes that “the Australian homebuilding industry is realistically being let down”.

“There’s a lot of silos. It’s very fragmented.

It’s quite uneducated around compliance levels: in New South Wales, to BASIX, and across Australia, to NatHERS,” he says.

Dr. Trivess Moore, research fellow at RMIT University, agrees.

“I think there is a case to be made that there is a significant under-compliance problem across the residential sector, particularly when it comes to meeting minimum NatHERS requirements,” he says.

“It is too easy for people to game the system and then not deliver on what is required.”

In terms of initiatives, the National Energy Efficient Building Project (NEEBP) commenced in 2012 with the aim of supporting consumers, government and industry to achieve better energy efficiency in new buildings, renovations and additions. Led by South Australia’s Department of State Development, NEEBP is co-funded by all Australian states and territories through the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Energy Council.

“I think [the NEEBP] really ignited the conversation about the issue of performance and compliance well before it became

IL_1802_006_Under_Compliance_news_2.indd 6

a headline sort of thing,” says Suzanne Toumbourou, executive director at Australian Sustainable Built Environment (ASBEC).

Phase One of the NEEBP involved a national review of key process weaknesses and points of non-compliance with the energy efficiency requirements in the National Construction Code (NCC). On the other hand, Phase Two aimed to develop and pilot a practical ‘as built’ inspection process to validate compliance with the energy efficiency provisions of the NCC. A further initiative is the National Energy Productivity Plan (NEPP) from the COAG Energy Council. The plan was established in 2015 to improve Australia’s energy productivity by 40 percent over the next 15 years. While COAG’s plan is broader than just the built environment, one of its measures covers improving residential building energy ratings and disclosure. Another measure identifies improving compliance with building energy efficiency regulation.

While governments can implement legislation and penalties to address this, Lieberman says the industry should be complying without these set guidelines. It is then an educated workforce that will reap the benefits and create a well-informed culture in the long-term.

An educated workforce will ensure that everyone in the industry is aware of the whole homebuilding process, and the collaborative role each individual plays in achieving a compliant build or one that goes beyond.

Furthermore, the stakeholders explained that residential consumers – particularly first home buyers – lacked an understanding of the basic physics of thermal comfort.

This means “they have limited ability to discern sound from unsound advice and limited willingness to pay for energy efficient designs and inclusions”.

One such initiative taking on this issue is Australian Living’s Educate 1000 Campaign.

As part of the campaign, seminars will be held around Australia until November 2018, aiming to educate 1,000 people about quality high performing homes. The campaign started in September 2017.

These seminars will bring everyone involved in the building process together, including architects, building designers, builders, trades, consultants and home owners – emphasising the importance of collaboration.

An educated workforce will ensure that everyone in the industry is aware of the whole homebuilding process, and the collaborative role each individual plays in achieving a compliant build or one that goes beyond.

According to Lieberman, Australian Living believes there’s around 10 percent of the industry already “getting this and doing this really well”.

“We need to spread what they’re doing out to the 90 percent where there’s question marks,” he says.

“We need to get designers, builders, tradesmen and installers on the same page in terms of what we need to do as a country to meet our targets. They don’t need to be overly passionate about sustainability. They just need to do their job, and do it well.”

“It’s also important to educate and empower the homeowner.”

The need for an educated and collaborative workforce is emphasised in the findings of NEEBP’s Phase One. For example, among the stakeholders consulted in the study, designers noted that builders and/or their clients frequently remove energy efficiency features either prior or after certification of designs. Builders and energy assessors also often criticised designers for preparing plans and specifications with a lack of detail.

“We’re focusing on three pillars – performance, collaboration and compliance – in the homebuilding industry,” says Lieberman.

“What we’re trying to say through this campaign is: if, as a country, we need get to net zero emissions by 2050, let’s upskill everyone in the value chain to ensure they can meet the requirements.”

Experts in the field will present to the attendees, talking openly about how performance can be optimised and how the industry can go beyond.

While Australian Living is the only company providing these types of seminars, Lieberman assures that the beliefs behind the campaign is not “[an] Australian Living way by any means”. “[From our building experience] we know where the problems are. Let’s just get out there and start [fixing] it.” n

2/7/18 1:57 PM

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

7

I N FO L I N K - B P N

PEOPLE

j an / fe b 2 0 1 8

8

I NFO L I N K - B P N

industry

David Tweedie on how automation AND prefabrication are changing the architecture and building industries

H

ayball director David Tweedie talks about how prefabrication AND the encroachment of NEW technologIES LIKE CLT AND BIM are changing the way architects design AND BUILD.

j an / fe b 2 0 1 8

9

I NFO L I N K - B P N

industry

How is the design process impacted when it comes to designing (and eventually building) with prefabricated and/modular components?

Design time is a major factor, with off-site construction and installation leaving no real opportunity for adjusting and adapting on-site.

As you can imagine, locking down design details earlier in the process is therefore key – whilst still retaining the broader vision and experience to identify and accommodate the unexpected.

In essence, we have to design the puzzle as opposed to putting the puzzle together bit by bit. 3D imaging technologies like BIM and Revit are reshaping the design process from this perspective, enabling full testing and vision of the construction in a digital environment before setting foot on the factory floor.

Designing with deconstruction, transportation and reconstruction in mind lies at the core of all processes. Materials are lighter, innovative new practices are engaged, and trades are active and influential in determining the final design.

Designing in a factory environment also allows for ultimate control over standardisation, materials, quality control and processes.

Is this type of building method becoming more popular and will it ever totally replace the traditional way of building?

Prefab is definitely on an upward growth curve, and I think looking back we’ll see a spike in the current era. It may be important to note that this methodology has actually been around for years, but the dynamics of labour costs and the deployment of higher technologies are currently making the equation work.

With prefab, you have to commit early and invest time and energy (rather than progressively resolving the building with the design team and ultimately the contractor).

So, hindrances remain, particularly when it comes to financing and procurement risks.

But the global market has naturally progressed, and our local sector is changing, driven by basic economics of speed and therefore cost savings, and potentially quality control.

As the dials of regulation and sustainability are repeatedly set a little higher, I really do see prefab becoming the principal construction method for some typologies. It’s arguably most popular for residential buildings, with some components, like façade work, increasingly prefab by default.

Fully designed for manufacture and assembly offsite, the construction technology dramatically reduces both construction time and on-site impact during installation.

For example, the Victorian state government

IL1802_010_011_DavidTweedieInterview.indd 9

is already exploring prefab as the default for school construction in rural areas, and as a means to replace legacy buildings around the state with new facilities.

Is there a cost-saving to this type of building method and if so, what on average would it be?

Extended design time equates to time saved on site – potentially realising cost savings of between 15 and 20 percent.

Prefabricated buildings ultimately demand less time of a builder (the biggest expense of a development) and significantly reduce the overall construction period of a project.

Designing in a factory environment also allows for ultimate control over standardisation, materials, quality control and processes.

Also, because we’re working in a controlled environment, materials can be standardised, and cost waste reduced. Productivity is also exponential when construction professionals can work without risk of inclement weather and safety concerns on building sites, mitigating unexpected delays and damages. However, the Australian prefab sector is still in its relative infancy, and it may take some time for these cost savings to become drastic differentiators.

Currently, we have limited choice of tenderers, inflation is a risk, and there is simply more demand than supply. But the overall trend of favouring this methodology is sure to lower costs in time to come.

The use of cross-laminated timbers (CLT) and glulam is gaining some traction in the multi-res and commercial build sectors. Would you say that this type of prefabrication will become a lot more common in the future, and if so, why?

With Hayball being part of the Australian integration of Cross Laminated Timber since 2013, there is no doubt in my mind that prefab materials like CLT and glulam will become core parts of design here in years to come –having already influenced the residential market in Europe in recent decades.

Part of what makes CLT so innovative is its low environmental impact, direct savings, faster delivery, ease of transport and installation, and reduced foundations/infrastructure.

The Library at The Dock was the first public CLT building in Australia, its CLT components built

in Austria, shipped over and screwed together onsite and the build boasted unparalleled speed, ease and affordability. It’s not only construction benefits that were realised – the interior ambiance of the project is improved in a qualitative sense. For all these reasons, we also rigorously investigated use of the technology to full design and documentation of a major multi-residential project called Studio Nine, Central Precinct – a 220 dwelling project in Richmond, Melbourne.

The issue of sustainability comes up time and time again when we are talking about prefabrication/modular design. Is the use of prefabrication more sustainable in your opinion, and why is that the case?

Prefabrication is an inherently strong sustainability lever, – acting on reduced waste, low-carbon materials, minimum site disturbance and controlled resourcing – in fact, you’re potentially saving reams of carbon when compared with traditional building processes and materials. It sounds relatively simple, but the ability to standardise material sizes and manufacture components to exact scale in high-tech factory environments means that you’re no longer wasting reams and reams of unnecessary plywood offcuts and so on.

If we add the issue of automation (such as Blockchain technology) to the profession of architecture and then also add the increasing use prefabrication, how do you think this will change the profession in the coming years?

These technologies certainly impact the way we approach a design, and tangibly impact the construction and installation phases thereafter. But I think, if anything, architects will only become more involved with new levels of design detail employed early on in the development process.

In the same breath, automation and innovative robotics open up the floor for mass customisation, perhaps removing the architect from the equation in later stages when buildings are being constructed by machines programmed meet architects’ specifications.

While BIM is enabling easy customisation, testing and control; robotics is moving ahead quickly, enabling a systems-based approach to design with integrated customisation capabilities.

The future of design will be virtual, changing materials and makeup with the click of a button.

In the same way that prefabrication brings unprecedented time, risk and cost savings, these technologies will streamline the industry with ultimate productivity and accuracy.

However, as humans driven by expression, I doubt we’ll lose the role of the creative in terms of designing unique and groundbreaking buildings – we’ll simply be using different technologies in the process. n

2/7/18 4:12 PM

j an / fe b 2 0 1 8

10

I NFO L I N K - B P N

industry

Rachel Neeson on the challenges in redesigning the Juanita Nielsen Community Centre

What was the hardest part in the repurposing of this building?

There is something about the openness of the warehouse – its flexible bay structure and big openings to the street – that sit comfortably with the aspirations of a contemporary community centre. So, in a sense the repurposing was quite a natural fit.

R

achel Neeson from Neeson Murcutt Architects redesigned the Juanita Nielsen Community Centre, transforming an old building that represented a controversial part of Sydney’s past, into a modern, safe and welcoming oasis for the future.

six original warehouse bays to create visibility throughout the entire ground floor. We reshaped the central void as a light-filled social core.

What are the standout features of the Juanita Nielson Community Centre upgrade, and what gives it so much character?

How much did you know about Juanita Nielson before you took on this project, and how much, after learning her story, did it influence how you approached the design?

The building was originally constructed in 1888 as six co-joined two storey warehouses.

It was named after the significant local activist Juanita Nielsen, when it was converted to a community centre in 1983. It was a gracious old building. We were looking to create a vibrant, safe and welcoming and place for the diverse demographic of Woolloomooloo.

We believe that for many people there is a comfort in things that have endured.

At every opportunity, the age and stories of the building have been revealed and amplified. So, we worked the architecture to rejuvenate the existing building as a social place without sanitising or gentrifying it.

We consolidated the amenities and offices along the southern edge of the building and opened up the blind brick arches between the

IL1802_010_RachelNeesonInterview.indd 10

The yellow concrete floor is wholly new.

Its colour is purposefully ‘happy,’ alluding to the golden sands of Woolloomooloo.

The building has a sort of happy character.

I didn’t know much about Juanita Nielsen prior to the project but it’s interesting to note that she was last seen [in 1975] at a nightclub that was right across from where our office is now. She came to figure strongly in the design via a famous portrait in which she is wearing a distinctive striped top – she was both an activist and fashion icon, heiress to the old Mark Foys department store.

The Juanita zigzag motif appears in the timber ceiling lining, the zig-zag shutters, the striped black and white canvas awnings - it’s all quite playful. There was another remarkable woman who influenced the project - Italian-born Brazilian architect Lina Bo Bardi, whose work from the from the 1950s and 60s we were strongly drawn to for its striking rawness, its robustness and sense of place and culture.

Less straightforward was the actual construction. Nothing was vertical or plumb.

We had to develop an attitude of loose-fit for all our detailing and call regularly on the assistance of the structural engineer and heritage architect throughout the build.

In your opinion, how much does history matter when you redesign a heritage building?

For us the history of a place is as much a part of the site as its physical dimension, its topography, its orientation, or its microclimate.

We understand our architecture is within the continuum of time. Old buildings, whether they are heritage listed or not, convey a sense of time through their material sense - we love that.

At the Juanita Nielsen Community Centre, we worked to achieve a rawness that would conjure the original warehouse quality – stripped brick, stripped render, exposed timber, new recycled timber, exposed steel – looking for that sense of time through material.

It terms of sustainability, do you think we should be doing more repurposing of old buildings, and how can we increase this rate?

Community buildings can play a powerful public educative role in sustainable design.

The Juanita Nielson Community Centre makes evident its primary environmental initiative, that of ‘up-cycling’ – retaining fabric, improving fabric performance and putting the building to better use. n

2/7/18 4:19 PM

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

11

I N FO L I N K - B P N

industry

Bob Nation VOWS TO ‘make a mark on design and culture outcomes’ in his new role

According to Nation, design excellence can be elusive to describe in words, but it is evident in the way buildings manifest themselves and define the broader urban environment.

for high-quality design, the nature of the business, our range of disciplines and our global reach enables GHD Woodhead to truly shape cities, and that is exciting,” he says.

According to Nation, design excellence can be elusive to describe in words, but it is evident in the way “buildings manifest themselves and define the broader urban environment.

“Good design,” he says, “enriches the public domain, gives people joy, and is environmentally responsible.”

A

“I have always been motivated by how architecture and urban design can enrich people’s lives.”

An award-winning architect with more than 40-years’ experience in all facets of architecture both nationally and internationally, Nation’s projects include the Victoria Park residential complex in Sydney, the 701-apartment World Tower in Sydney, the award-winning Nation House and Studio in Melbourne and Boyes House in Hobart.

“An exposure to a broad range of project types has enabled me to develop a considered position that focuses on the urban consequences of a building: how it affects the broader public domain,” he says.

s one of Australia’s most celebrated architects, former AIA president Bob Nation AM has now joined integrated design practice GHD Woodhead as its National Design Director.

As the current Design Advisor to the Barangaroo Delivery Authority in Sydney, Nation was pivotal to the redevelopment of this former industrial waterfront site into a globally acclaimed precinct.

“I joined GHD Woodhead because of the opportunity to make a new mark on the culture and the design outcomes, especially on large-scale projects. The practice has achieved spectacular growth and my focus will be on further lifting its reputation

“My experience has grown from single houses in Hobart, to high-rise projects in Hong Kong and new cities in Asia.”

Nation says that, “GHD Woodhead is distinctive in Australia for its practice, which combines architecture and other design disciplines with the broader skillset of GHD in the pursuit of design excellence.”

“I think it’s fundamental to grow our skill base in architecture to take advantage of the breadth of project opportunities.”

“Being able to provide high-quality architectural design, supported by teams from other disciplines, is a unique offering for clients in the Australian environment,” he says. n

August 9 –10 2018 Carriageworks, Sydney

Design. Products . Knowledge.

IL1802_FRONT_DPS_AD_012_013_V3.indd 12

2/7/18 3:12 PM

WWW.FRONT.DESIGN

The new specifier event building connections that last.

Powered by

IL1802_FRONT_DPS_AD_012_013_V3.indd 13

Strategic Partners

2/7/18 3:12 PM

advertising feature – Bathroom Butler

BATHROOM BUTLER ENGINEERED DOWN TO THE FINEST DETAIL

D

riven by innovation and engineering excellence, Bathroom Butler is a 2nd generation family business that has built a reputation as one of the leading bathroom accessory manufacturers ACROSS sub-Saharan Africa. With sights set firmly on expanding the brand further into the international market and following the successful introduction of Bathroom Butler to the North American market with the successful opening of their warehouse and office in Miami, Bathroom Butler has now partnered with Bathe in Australia to bring its product offering to local architects and designers.

With a defined focus on innovation, quality and design, Bathroom Butler offers highend Grade 304 Stainless Steel bathroom accessories and heated towel rails that are eco-friendly and 100% recyclable. Available in different designs, the Bathroom Butler heated towel rails add to a bathroom’s aesthetic appeal and, importantly, keep towels hygienically dry and free of the bacterial growth commonly associated with damp towels. Bathroom Butler’s heated towel rails also offer a built-in controller as a standard, thereby offering a solution for temperature adjustment and reducing running costs by switching the heated rail on and off as needed.

Using all the functions of the controller can reduce running costs by as much as 70%.

Bathroom Butler’s range of bathroom accessories is one of the most extensive portfolios of products available to designers and professionals. With its unique mounting system called the RIGID Loc, which was designed and patented by the brand, Bathroom Butler has engineered an innovative solution to a common problem – loose bathroom accessories. With most bathroom accessories on the market, over time their mounting systems become loose, meaning constant maintenance and having to reaffix them to the wall.

“When our customers told us that they experienced trouble with the traditional method of mounting their bathroom accessories to the wall, we listened,” says Bathroom Butler’s Craig Taylor. “We rolled up our sleeves and began work on a new mounting system that eliminated the need

IL1802_014_BATHE_ADV_FINAL.indd 14

for constant maintenance and re-tightening of loose bathroom accessories.”

The team then put the RIGID Loc mounting system through a strenuous in-house test. “We simulated vibrations caused by the daily use of various bathroom accessories,” continues Taylor. “The RIGID Loc mounting system passed more than 100 000 knocks, which is incredible, compared to the traditional grub screw fixation, which failed after only 300 knocks.”

Throughout Southern Africa and Australia, Bathroom Butler’s products have not only been used in family homes but also in large scale developments due to their innovative product offering and competitive pricing in the premium segment. The core essence of being a family business has allowed Bathroom Butler to build and continuously maintain positive relationships with their partners. This is also what they bring into their association with Bathe in Australia.

For more info visit bathroombutler.com

2/7/18 11:21 AM

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

15

I N FO L I N K - B P N

DETAIL

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

16

I N FO L I N K - B P N

DETAIL

No two are the same: Multi-res individuality comes to Richmond ARCHITECT: MELBOURNE DESIGN STUDIOS words: VERITY CAMPBELL PHOTOGRAPHY: PETER CLARKE

IL_1802_016_019_MDS.indd 16

2/7/18 11:15 AM

JAN / FEB 2 0 1 8

17

INFOL INK - BPN

DETAIL

Located in an historic pocket of inner-city Melbourne, thE Six Urban Residences in Richmond development won the 2017 ArchiTeam Sustainability Medal and was shortlisted in the 2017 ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN Sustainability Awards.

A

ccording to Marc BernsteinHussmann, founding director of Melbourne Design Studios (MDS), the Six Urban Residences in Richmond development was designed to balance a heritage setting with contemporary sustainable design, redefine typical urban townhouse design to hero connection with the landscape and surrounds, and to feature intriguing details.

“Marking a significant departure from conventional townhouse typology, each dwelling offers multi-functional and spacious living in an otherwise tightly built-up urban area,” says Bernstein-Hussmann.

“Boasting a rare combination of light-filled internal spaces gathered around multiple outdoor spaces and rooftop terrace with city skyline views, each townhouse has over 20 percent more outdoor space than a typical solution, with the six different outdoor spaces designed for various activities and purposes.”

“A row-house design and strong contextual architectural response blends the development with its gritty inner-urban location; inside, the blurred indoor-outdoor zones achieve a private oasis tucked away in an urban setting, offering a vital connection to nature to facilitate well-being,” he says.

The original brief was to make a positive impact on the neighbourhood by providing individual, luxury residences that sensitively respond to their surroundings.

Therefore, notes Bernstein-Hussmann, “highlevel ESD (environmentally sustainable design)

IL_1802_016_019_MDS.indd 17

principles and design for longevity were key drivers of the brief, with the aim to provide a new benchmark that exceeds the average NatHERS 6-star rating for townhouses.”

“The design team worked closely with the client to reach a 10-star NatHERS rating that enabled it to win the Building Designers Association of Victoria’s 10-star Challenge award during design stages,” he says.

“While the final design scheme was adapted to suit the market, it’s astonishing how many of the ESD principles remain for a development of this kind,” says BernsteinHussmann, adding that “a sensitive and individualised architectural approach balancing nature and urban living create a unique point of difference for the project.”

key challenges of the project According to the architects, this project presented a number of challenges, including a difficult site featuring an unusual battle-axe shape and heritage overlay, complete with a derelict heritage house requiring extensive renovation.

It required a design that responded to its unique inner-city location and built-up surrounds.

The final design reflects the areas industrial past, but also pays homage to the iconic Victorian terrace row houses nearby. The narrow laneway itself presented a challenging streetscape. Rather than being tucked away behind the heritage house at the front of the site, the design and scale of the development

2/7/18 2:03 PM

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

18

I N FO L I N K - B P N

DETAIL

1

2

1 Each dwelling has a north facing orientation to draw in natural light throughout the homes, “thermal chimneys� to evacuate heat through summer, and cross ventilation for fresh air year-round.

2 Each residence sits on approximately 230sqm of land, and comprises three to four bedrooms and two bathrooms across multiple levels.

3 Each townhouse offers a holistic and contemporary approach to sustainable design and passive solar design principles. design and passive solar design principles.

IL_1802_016_019_MDS.indd 18

2/7/18 11:15 AM

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

19

I N FO L I N K - B P N

DETAIL

3

successfully sits within the street, its neighbouring buildings and wider surrounds.

Looking to overcome strict commercial parameters, the design adheres to the original brief for a sustainable development achieving an average of 7-star NatHERS rating.

POST-INDUSTRIAL TO RESIDENTIAL Bernstein-Hussmann says that the project works hard to achieve a lot for a small and difficult site.

“Each residence sits on approximately 230sqm of land, and comprises three to four bedrooms and two bathrooms across multiple levels with a range of 200 to 230sqm of internal space and approximately 100 to 120sqm (including courtyards, decking and roof terrace) of outdoor space in each townhouse.”

Set opposite a converted shoe factory, the design reflects the craftspersonship associated with the area’s industrial past. Situated three kilometres east of central Melbourne, the now-trendy suburb of Richmond has been known as a manufacturing hub since the mid-19th century.

The individualised facades, row-like form, choice of materials and scale are a clever response to site,” says Bernstein-Hussmann.

Lasercut artwork with hidden motifs representing typical aspects of the local area for example, an image of a Vespa scooter on one, or an abstract interpretation of Marilyn Monroe smiling at you on another appear only on closer inspection and in the right light.

IL_1802_016_019_MDS.indd 19

At the same time, by reducing the internal floor space allowed for features such as an internal courtyard.

“The overall design beautifully complements the shoe factory, helping the residences become part of the urban fabric and sit comfortably within the typical proportions and heights of the area,” says Bernstein-Hussmann.

“The sustainable brief and inspiration for the 10-star NatHERS rating provided the opportunity for innovative solutions and departures from the standard townhouse architecture,” he notes, with the drive for natural light and ventilation “leading to the design of an internal courtyard, which provides a further solution to the challenges of providing quality private open space in small urban sites.”

Sustainable design FEATURES Designed for the Melbourne climate, each townhouse offers a holistic and contemporary approach to sustainable design and passive solar design principles.

with double glazing, extra insulation, solar hot water, rainwater tanks and many more.

Each townhouse also has north facing orientation to draw in natural light throughout the homes, “thermal chimneys” to evacuate heat through summer, and cross ventilation for fresh air year-round. Passive design systems (when applied correctly) ensure that the same benefits they provide today last throughout the life of the building.

Bernstein-Hussmann says that one of the ambitions for this project was to “seamlessly integrate these sustainability measures into the high-level design so they don’t appear as superfluous ‘green’ add-ons.”

For example, he notes that, “the rainwater tanks have been elegantly designed into a raised planter bench seat within the internal courtyard of each residence, providing rainwater storage of 14,000 litres across the project (including the heritage dwelling).” n

SUPPLIERS AND CONTRACTORS: Cedarsales cedarsales.com.

“The concept design won the 2013 BDAV 10-star Challenge in the Multi-Res Category (“Sustainable Inner City Living”) and the as-built achieved an average 7-star NatHERS Rating across all townhouses,” says Bernstein-Hussmann.

au Aluminco aluminco.com/en/ Belle belleskylights. com.au Reflex Shading Systems shadingsystems.com Attila’s Natural Stone attilasnaturalstone.com. au Big Ass Fans bigassfans.com/au/ Boral boral.com. au Caesarstone caesarstone.com.au Dulux dulux. com.au DuPont casf.com.au EC Group eccarpets.com. au eco-smart fireplace ecosmartfire.com.au Woodcraft

Other sustainable features include the use of natural, recycled and sustainable materials, many of them with supply chain certifications, thermally broken windows

Mobiliar woodcraftmobiliar.com.au lANDSCAPE TANKS landscapetanks.com.au Rinnai rinnai.com.au FUJITSU fujitsu.com/au/ Miele miele.com.au bradford csr bradfordinsulation.com.au & insulation.com.au

2/7/18 11:15 AM

J AN / FEB 2 0 1 8

20

INFOLINK - BPN

DETAIL

Essendon’s multi-residential streetscape that’s lined with gold ARCHITECT: ClarkeHopkinsClarke words: Millicent Steele PHOTOGRAPHY: Rhiannon Slatter

The recently completed Alexa apartments in Melbourne’s Essendon feature 89 one, two and threebedroom apartments over seven levels.

Due to an elevated position, it’s not just the design that is eye-catching.

IL1802_020_024_CDC.indd 20

2/7/18 10:03 AM

J AN/ FE B 2 0 1 8

21

INFOLIN K - B P N

DETAIL

H

istory and geology have shaped Alexa’s distinctive architecture.

Its most pronounced and striking feature is the gold coloured metal screen that wraps the sixth level, forming a visual ‘top’ to the building, inspired by the site’s connection to Melbourne’s gold rush era.

The seventh floor, additional to the predominating building heights, was secured through a clever design strategy which sees two large penthouse apartments set back from the building envelope and almost disappear at street level.

According to architects ClarkeHopkinsClarke, “the contemporary, minimalist interiors complement the playful finishes of the exterior”.

“Attention to detail prevails internally, with an emphasis on quality joinery and storage space. Light oak was used for the timber flooring, while fixtures were finished in a metallic hue that calls out to the perforated gold metal exterior feature.”

Location and history Alexa is located on Mt. Alexander Road, a wide boulevard style street lined by established palm trees running both sides of a central tramline. This stretch of road, running from Essendon station to the Keilor Road Activity Centre has seen a flurry of development over recent years. To the rear of the site is a large public park with green open space, a playground and endemic trees.

The aim for Alexa, says ClarkeHopkinsClarke, was to “inject a bold and contemporary design aesthetic into this evolving urban context, capitalise on its hilltop location to optimise views to the CBD as well as to provide a highly liveable apartment product to suit a wide demographic of local downsizers, first home buyers, young professionals and investors”.

ClarkeHopkinsClarke was also tasked with exploring opportunities to add an additional level to the predominating building heights.

History and geology have shaped the design brief for Alexa’s distinctive architecture.

“Mount Alexander Road was originally a

IL1802_020_024_CDC.indd 21

route to the goldfields and, as the Alexa site is on top of a hill, our design response references the stratification and layering of rock, which we juxtaposed with the building’s gold coloured screening,” say the architects.

The perforated metal has a distinct quality in that it changes its tone depending on the sunlight. This contrasts with the sculptural massing of the other elements.

The first five levels are defined by long, white, sculptural bands, tying the design to the movement of the street, while the building’s curved forms work to soften the mass of the development. The design capitalises on the site’s park side location, with a rear entrance providing residents with direct access to Cliff Allison Park.

ClarkeHopkinsClarke was also responsible for designing the building’s curved shapes, and its generous balconies, to create playful and differing lines of perspective. On the top floor, the two penthouses capture 360-degree views, while apartments at the park-end of the complex enjoy open views to the south-east.

Pre-cast equals strength A combination of white pre-cast and black metal cladding was chosen to achieve the strong horizontal banding to the building facades.

The architects say pre-cast was selected for both its longevity and aesthetics.

“As a product which allows us to create clean lines without joins and capping we were able to achieve uninterrupted white horizontal balustrade banding.”

Black metal cladding and framing was used to create the negative spaces between these bands. The southern corner of the building and the sixth level have been expressed using a layer of perforated aluminium screens.

“The dual purpose,” say the architects, “was to provide privacy to both the internal and balcony spaces and acoustic treatment.

The custom perforated pattern provides visual interest and filtered light from the setting sun. Its flexibility also allowed us to achieve a curving and flowing form.”

2/7/18 2:08 PM

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

22

I N FO L I N K - B P N

DETAIL

1

2

1 Alexa’s distinctive architecture and most pronounced and striking feature is the gold coloured metal screen that wraps around the sixth level, forming a visual ‘top’ to the building, inspired by the site’s connection to Melbourne’s gold rush era.

2 The southern corner of the building and the sixth level have been expressed using a layer of perforated aluminium screens.

3 “Contemporary, minimalist interiors complement the playful finishes of the exterior.”the playful finishes of the exterior.”

IL1802_020_024_CDC.indd 22

2/7/18 2:08 PM

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

23

I N FO L I N K - B P N

DETAIL

1

4

5

6

3

FLOOR PLAN RESIDENCE 14 1. Main Bedroom 2. Lounge/Dining Room 3. Kitchen 4. Second Bedroom 5. Bathroom 1

7

6. Bathroom 2 7. Laundry 8

2

TITLE LINE

8. Courtyard

4

5

7

6

3

8

1

FLOOR PLAN RESIDENCE 6

2

1. Bedroom 1 2. Bedroom 2 3. Lounge/Dining Area 4. Bathroom 1 5. Bathroom 2 6. Kitchen 7. Laundry 8. Courtyard

IL1802_020_024_CDC.indd 23

7/2/18 4:53 pm

J AN / F E B 2 0 1 8

24

INFOLINK-BPN

DETAIL

3

“Contemporary, minimalist interiors complement the playful finishes of the exterior.”

“Attention to detail prevails internally, with an emphasis on quality joinery and storage space.

Light oak was used for the timber flooring, while fixtures were finished in a metallic hue that calls out to the perforated gold metal exterior feature.”

Green ratings and other sustainable features Alexa achieves an average 6-star rating, predominantly through the application of passive design principles.

Key features include a rainwater collection system for toilet flushing and a 300mm raingarden for filtration.

Bike parking for about 22 bikes in total has been included for residents, who are also connected to a tramline and bus route on Mt Alexander Road.

“The triangular site has its longest frontage facing Mt Alexander Road and tapered back to a point which faces Cliff Allison Park.”

“Our objective was to orient apartments to achieve maximum views across the nearby parkland. The team also applied additional acoustic treatment to apartments that fronted Mt Alexander Road. The perforated metal screening served as an additional layer to dampen any traffic noise.”

The most significant design challenge, say the architects, came from the shape of the site itself.

The triangular site has its longest frontage facing Mt Alexander Road and tapered back to a point which faces Cliff Allison Park. n

SUPPLIERS & CONTRACTORS: BlueScope (Colorbond) bluescope.com External walls, Interpon aluminimuium perforated metal screens, powdercoat finish

There is also a public park adjoining the site creating opportunities for residents to walk and engage with the community.

specifyinterpon.com Vertical aluminium batten screen, powdercoat finish Metal colours and Primers Dulux.com.au Faucet Strommen tapware faucetstrommen.com.au Astra walker flush

“The most significant design challenge came from the shape of the site itself,” says ClarkeHopkinsClarke.

IL1802_020_024_CDC.indd 24

plate astrawalker.com.au Tiles nationaltiles. com.au Ceasarstone Benchtops caesarstone.com au Natural stone benchtops g-lux.com.au

2/7/18 10:03 AM

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

25

I N FO L I N K - B P N

SPECIFY

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

26

I N FO L I N K - B P N

SPECIFY

MULTI-RES BATHROOMS COME INTO THEIR OWN words: PRUE MILLER

IL1802_026_030_Bathrooms.indd 26

2/7/18 10:04 AM

JAN / FEB 2 0 1 8

27

INF O LIN K - BPN

SPECIFY

Once the smallest room in the house, bathrooms are now palaces of design with enormous expectations placed upon them. Those expectations and demands are multiplied exponentially when the bathroom is replicated repeatedly, such as for multi-residential projects.

IL1802_026_030_Bathrooms.indd 27

2/7/18 10:04 AM

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

28

I N FO L I N K - B P N

SPECIFY

PREVIOUS: Waterproofing has historically been a timeconsuming event in the construction timeline.

ABOVE: Waterproofing can take days per room and is often subject to the errors of rushed tradies who, in multiresidential builds especially, are working against the clock.

B

athroom designer Darren Genner from Minosa Design says the bathroom has become a space of personal wellness, which transfers across all bathroom applications.

“Every other space is open. This is the one room with a lock on the door,” says Genner.

A bathroom can be thought of as a sort of sanctuary, whether in a five-star hotel, a high-rise penthouse or even budget student accommodation.

Damian Russo from Multipanel Waterproofing Building Panels sees this as the ideal landscape for their panel system.

“In three hours you can have the wet area lined and ready for tiling the next day,” says Russo. Multipanel has been recently working on a 66-townhouse development, with each home featuring three bathrooms.

“We’ve looked at the costs involved, and while the product may cost around $140 more per room, the cost in labour savings is substantial,” he says.

It’s also a notoriously cash-hungry space, fraught with defect potential and seen by the design and construction industry as a space where savings in time and materials would be very welcome. Happily, new products and systems are providing some relief.

The panel system also removes the human factor – ensuring a consistent depth of each panel membrane of 12mm, with some specific panels including a built-in fall to the grate that make tilers particularly happy, and their time on each bathroom further reduced.

The backbone to any bathroom is its integrity – the ability to confound every design attempt to make damp all things that must remain dry.

And while the Multipanel system is currently only accredited as a waterproofing system in Victoria, the product can still be used in other states on a case-by-case basis.

KEEPING WATER OUT OF BATHROOMS Waterproofing has historically been a timeconsuming event in the construction timeline, taking days per room and often subject to the errors of rushed tradies who, in multi-residential builds especially, are working against the clock.

According to reports, national accreditation is also in the pipeline.

Already used in several marque office buildings such as 480 Queen Street in Brisbane and Barangaroo in Sydney is a liquid waterproofing system, Enviro 200P Ultra.

Produced by Envirosystems, the waterbased water proofing membrane is flexible and accommodates a dynamic range of angles and design concepts.

According to Envirosystems, their Enviro 200P has now been accredited by the Green Building Council of Australia “due to its exceptional VOC rating.”

GETTING ALL TILED UP From membranes we move to tiles – often the bane of wall and floor designers.

The bigger the tile, the less to grout, which explains the growth in very large-format tiles – especially for the floor. However, for speed and contemporary design concepts, the QuickStep HydroSeal laminates are cliamed to offer a 100 percent waterproof flooring option.

This range can not only offer the warmth of a timber-look design range, but can be used across large areas such as commercial applications seen in aged care residences just as easily as residential situations. Besides the appeal of speedy installation, they are also easy and speedy to clean, an aspect particularly important in aged care.

Avoiding the time-consuming tile application entirely is a timesaver on both small and large

Brick.

Evolved.

Introducing CORIUM from PGH Bricks & Pavers.

A break through brick cladding system combining the natural beauty of real brick, with cost effective, fast track installation of ‘system’ based cladding. With its diverse palette, decorative and textural patterns are easily created and CORIUM brick tiles can be mounted at any angle to achieve truly dynamic finishes – even overhead for soffits and ceilings.

Use CORIUM to stunning effect in the design of mid to high-rise buildings.

Unlimited design possibilities in a genuine brick finish at height.

corium.pghbricks.com.au

CORIUM-InfoLink-Ad-0118-01.indd 1 IL1802_PGH_FP_AD_PG5.indd 23

| 1300 267 486

16/1/18 9:38 am 31/1/18 3:22 pm

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

30

I N FO L I N K - B P N

SPECIFY

construction projects, something that panels from suppliers such as Corian are claimed to provide.

Made from natural minerals and acrylic resin, application can be as easy as glue – and the finish can be visually seamless.

FLUSHED WITH SUCCESS Floors have issues as well – the most obvious being the amount of floor space available with the multi-residential or commercial situations often more compromised for space than in residential design. In all cases, the optics of a wall-mounted toilet suite – such as the Caroma Cube Wall Hung or Contura Wall Hung Invisi Series – create a sense of space.

What is not always properly considered is placing the cisterns in the roof cavity. This is particularly true of areas that are pressed for space.

Uninterrupted wall space planes also add to sleek and spacious concepts, which is where Thermogroup suggest using backlit, and heated mirrors over vanity units.

While not interrupting the visual plane, they also offer the luxury of fog-free viewing and lighting.

It’s hard to consider multi-residential bathrooms without venturing into the prefabricated landscape.

Where once a shower could be bought in one seamless piece, the modular bathroom is the whole box and dice.

From tiles, to lights to loos, all bought as an entire prefabricated pod. n

SUPPLIERS & CONTRACTORS Multipanel multipanel.com. au Minosa Design minosadesign.com Envirosystems

Similarly, the Geberit concealed cistern range lifts the pan off the floor and finishes it off with a flush plate for the wall.

IL1802_026_030_Bathrooms.indd 30

envirosystems.com.au Quickstep quick-step.com.au Geberit geberit.com.au Caroma caroma.com.au Corian corian.com Thermogroup thermogroup.com.au

2/7/18 10:04 AM

I L 1 6 0 4 _ 0 0 0 _ S t o r m_ D A

-

1

2 0 1 6 - 0 3 - 1 6 T1 6 : 2 9 : 5 7 + 1 1 : 0 0

ARCHITECTURAL GRATES + DRAINS

Grate lines.

The finest linear grate selection from the people who invented them.

Stormtech grates and drainage systems draw a perfect line connecting unmatched durability, superb craftsmanship and world class design.

Give your bathroom or courtyard the best grate selection available, or create contemporary transitions from indoors to outdoors with our seamless threshold range.

Designed and manufactured in Australia from marine grade stainless steel, Stormtech remains the gold standard for design and sustainability with full Greentag certification.

Bathrooms

Showers

Pools + Surrounds Thresholds

Doortracks

Special Needs Access

View our complete selection on the Stormtech website, and match the perfect drain to your design needs.

Visit us at stormtech.com.au for tools + inspiration.

IL1802_Stormtech_FP_AD_IFC.indd 2

Telephone 1300 653 403

31/1/18 3:38 pm

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

32

I N FO L I N K - B P N

sPECIFY

Specifying doors for multi-res projects hinges on many factors words: Nicholas Rider

IL_1802_032_034_Doors.indd 32

2/7/18 11:17 AM

J AN / FEB 2 0 1 8

33

I N F O L I N K - BP N

sPECIFY

While the choice of doors and door hardware are essentially endless, a multi-residential building and its individual units will benefit from a door that considers its context within the project.

I

n a multi-residential project, doors are more than just a mere entry to a unit or its individual rooms. They also provide a number of functions for its residents.

Doors keep the elements out, provide acoustic insulation, and offer security, privacy and safety.

While addressing this, the choice of door will depend on its location within the building and its greater context. This ultimately means, that performance and durability are key when choosing the correct door.

Woods Bagot associate, Yow Choong, suggests that there are two main type of doors in a typical multi-residential project: the unit’s main door which is usually a solid core door, and a sliding glass door which opens the unit to its views.

In addition to the technical functions, the aesthetics of a door are integral in the design of a multi-res build.

“Doors… provide the first impressions for a project, which affects marketability. The aesthetics to a front door and entrance lobbies are important to buyers/owners of apartments, for branding and status,” says Choong. “[For example,] Woods Bagot’s projects pay special attention to [the] placement of entrance doors and the finishes and detailing around these (e.g. timber finishes, full height doors, integrated doors with wall panelling, apartment numbers and signage).”

All of the above is no different when specifying the correct door hardware either.

“Door hardware, handles and locks are also selected for robustness and quality for long operating life,” says Choong.

DOORS IN ACTION Finger Wharf Apartment

by Architect Prineas Doors were a key aspect of an alteration project to an apartment within the heritagelisted 1915 Woolloomooloo Finger Wharf on Sydney Harbour.

Designed by Architect Prineas, the Finger Wharf project included a general reconfiguration of the interior to better address the apartment’s connection with its harbour setting, within the constraints of stringent strata and heritage requirements.

The existing sliding doors to the living area were reconfigured and replaced to be more practical but look identical when closed. The width of the track was also increased to allow the doors to operate as double stacking sliders rather than a single opening.

In addition, dark panels were also implemented throughout the unit, which the architects say allow the interiors to “strive for a level of ambiguity where a door can be a wall and vice versa”.

“Within the language of screens and walls, a theatrical motif is developed of an overscaled handle – a cue to reveal a threshold to bathrooms, bedrooms and storage.”

41 Birmingham

by SJB External glazed doors were specified for the SJB-designed 41 Birmingham apartment project in the Sydney suburb of Alexandria. These doors were supplied and installed by Zebrano Windows.

“Zebrano Windows were willing to work closely with us to achieve the design intent and performance we intended,” saysJacqueline Connor, architect at SJB.

“They were able to customise the profiles, configurations and hardware to achieve flush thresholds from inside to outside, narrow aluminium section sizes, full height doors – up to three metres to meet the concrete beams – and very large panels that were easy to operate.”

The apartment entry doors were supplied by Pyropanel, who were able to do fire rated doors and frames made of timber to 2.4m in height.

“We wanted the apartments to have the level of detail and the feel of a single house, while working within the issues of multiresidential construction,” says Connor.

“The entry doors are important as they give a sense of arriving at home and a sense of personalisation that is not often seen in standard multi-residential projects.”

President Avenue Apartments

by Candalepas Associates According to architects Candaelpas Associates, door openings are important to the architecture of a building because they are a way to connect to the outdoors.

The architects specified external aluminiumframed sliding doors for its President Avenue Apartments in Sydney’s Sutherland. These glazed doors from Ullrich Aluminium maximise the connection between balconies and external spaces, while also taking advantage of views to the National Park.

Solid block core doors (both pivot and butt hinge doors) were picked for the unit’s entry doors. The doors were chosen for their compliance with Australian Standards, as well as their use in previous multi-residential projects.

JAN / FEB 2 0 1 8

34

INFOLINK- B P N

sPECIFY

PREVIOUS: The Finger Wharf project saw the existing sliding doors reconfigured and replaced.

Dark panels were also implemented throughout the unit. Photography by Katherine LuI ABOVE: Stegbar’s Alumiere range is offered in hinged, sliding and stacking configurations

products on the market Among the door products on the Australian market is Stegbar’s Alumiere range, which is offered in hinged, sliding and stacking configurations. Alumiere is available in three frame widths (80mm, 113mm and 136mm) that fit together modularly to create numerous configurations and comes in a range of powdercoated and anodised aluminium colours.

Vitrocsa offers a range of custom-made sliding doors, which can accommodate glass panels up to 18sqm, and an unlimited number of panels or tracks. Fixed panels are not required as all panels can slide allowing greater flexibility in design – meaning doors can open at both ends, the centre, at a corner, or slide into a cavity or pocket within the wall.

In terms of hardware, the doors are equipped with a convenient ‘one key’ solution that will lock and unlock all doors.

All aluminium tracks and frames are built into the structure and are hidden from view with only the slimmest interlocks visible. SJB has specified Vitrocsa sliding doors in its 10 Wylde Street and Coast Apartments projects in Sydney.

Another product on the market is Allegion’s surface mounted track-arm door closers.

Suitable for both timber and metal doors, the Briton 1120 and 1130 Series door closers are non-handed, slimline and fully reversible.

While the choice of doors and door hardware are essentially endless, a multiresidential building and its individual units will benefit from a door that considers its context within the project.

Door closing is hydraulically controlled, with adjustable backcheck and valve regulators to provide the desired balance between opening force and closing speed.

A well-performing and durable door will also keep the elements out, provide acoustic insulation, and offer security, privacy and safety. n

Project Credits: Zebrano Windows zebranowindows. com.au Pyropanel architectureanddesign.com.au/ suppliers/pyropanel-developments Ullrich Aluminium ullrich.com.au Stegbar architectureanddesign.com.au/ suppliers/stegbar Allegion architectureanddesign.com. au/suppliers/allegion Vitrocsa architectureanddesign. com.au/suppliers/altro-flooring-and-walling Vitrocsa architectureanddesign.com.au/suppliers/ vitrocsa-australia Woods Bagot woodsbagot.com Candalepas Associates candalepas.com.au Architect Prineas architectprineas.com.au SJB sjb.com.au

advertising feature – PALRAM

Specifying Products for Security Applications: Glass, Acrylic or Polycarbonate?

G

lass-laminated products, often incorrectly referred to as ‘bulletproof’, are regularly used for security applications such as in banks, jails and police stations, among others. In practice, bulletproof screens are technically only ever bullet-resistant, with exposure to prolonged circumstances or higher calibre bullets than a product has been rated for eventually leading to failure. However, glass is not the only material used in such circumstances, nor is it necessarily the best choice. Despite being referred to interchangeably as “bulletproof glass”, bullet-resistant sheets can be made from glass, acrylic or polycarbonate. Each material has its own distinct material properties and varying levels of resistance.

Understanding Laminated Glass True to its name, laminated glass is not made solely with sheets of glass. Glass can be manufactured with different properties, such as to make it thicker or less brittle, but these manufacturing decisions are often not practical when attempting to achieve the characteristics required for it to be bullet resistant and suitable for security applications.

In practice, glass is laminated with polycarbonate or layered up with acrylic in order to achieve the desired results. However, while common, this solution is still not as effective as alternatives.

Equivalently sized acrylic and polycarbonate sheets weigh less than half that of glass, subsequently requiring less intensive framing systems. When it comes to impact resistance, acrylic can be up to 17 times stronger, while polycarbonate can be up to 250 times stronger.

In most cases, bullet resistant glass cannot be cut once made, limiting alterations on site and the accessibility of customisation. This is unlike

IL1802_035_PALRAM_ADV_Final.indd 35

polycarbonate, which can be cut in most instances while onsite and with ordinary woodworking tools such as a power saw, and acrylic, which can also be cut given adequate precautions.

Assessing the Performance of Glass, Acrylic and Polycarbonate in Security Applications By laminating glass sheets, any chance of spalling – where glass shatters outwards with the projectile, increasing the risk of injury and compromising the panel’s integrity – is meant to be eliminated.

However, the risk of spalling increases if a sheet is specified or installed incorrectly.

Polycarbonate’s unbeatable strength and flexibility allow it to absorb the energy of projectiles, while acrylic is designed to repel any projectiles. The majority of systems will often take advantage of a combination of materials across numerous layers, in order to increase the effective available characteristics.

Palram Palram’s range of polycarbonate products include intruder, ballistic and blast-rated products.

Palshield features an acrylic core laminated on both sides with polycarbonate, and has been tested and certified to meet Australian Standard AS2343 G0, G1 and G2 for simulated attack by handguns. Offering the beneficial characteristics of the two materials, along with UV resistance and flexibility in cutting, drilling and machining, Palshield is suitable for a variety of applications from embassies to banks and even windscreens for mining and logging machinery.

Palgard is an alternative product offered by Palram, designed to resist lower-grade threats such as vandalism, graffiti spray and physical attack. Its high abrasion resistance is available on one or both sides, and has a virtually unlimited resistance to impacts. Palgard can be glasslaminated for ballistic application purposes, and is ideal as safety, security and ballistic resistant glazing and anti-vandal glazing.

Download this free whitepaper to find out more about Palram’s product range and the properties of bullet resistant products.

For more info visit goo.gl/X9ZVHe

2/7/18 11:32 AM

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

36

I N FO L I N K - B P N

SPECIFY

New innovations in multi-residential developments words: Stephanie Stefanovic

IL1802_036_040_Power.indd 36

2/7/18 10:48 AM

J AN/ FEB 2 0 1 8

37

INFOLIN K - BPN

SPECIFY

The move towards multi-residential living means architects will need to consider sophisticated solutions to bring these buildings up to speed with detached homes.

M

ore Australians are living in multiresidential buildings than ever before.

The latest ABS Census shows that Australian apartment occupation has increased by 78 percent over the past 25 years, along with a steady increase in the occupation of townhouses and duplexes. In line with this trend, approximately one quarter of Australia’s residential new-builds are now multi-residential.

The trend towards more compact and affordable living spaces has forced architects to challenge stereotypes that multi-residential buildings are small and cramped, lacking natural light and ventilation. In fact, many of today’s new builds prioritise a luxury feel. Architects are taking advantage of natural lighting to create bright and airy spaces, while implementing open-plan layouts that are practical, versatile and make the most of available space. Environmental sustainability is also increasingly becoming a concern, encouraging architects to think of creative and practical solutions to reduce the carbon footprint of their buildings.

However, this has proved challenging in the Australian multi-residential landscape. While residential photovoltaic (PV) penetration has reached up to 40 percent for detached houses in some parts of the nation, multi-residential buildings continue to lag behind due to issues with cost, governance and physical limitations.

The lack of governance structures in place is perhaps the biggest barrier to solar uptake in Australian apartment buildings.

The benefits are clear: the installation of PV on apartment buildings can help relieve network congestion as well as reduce household energy bills. However, there are significant ‘split incentive’ issues between property owners and their tenants.

IL1802_036_040_Power.indd 37

“Owners of rental properties are less likely to invest in energy efficiency measures than owner-occupiers, as the benefits are enjoyed by their tenants,” writes UNSW researcher Mike Roberts in his paper: PV in Australian Apartment Buildings – Opportunities and Barriers.

“Conversely, renters are less likely to invest, particularly in ‘immobile’ technologies such as PV, as they cannot recoup the full value of their investment, even if they were permitted to install the infrastructure.”

Sustainability retrofits can also be hampered by physical limitations. According to Roberts, a shortage of roof space compared to total energy demand can be an issue for high-rise buildings, while competition for roof space can be an issue in all multi-residential building types. Other issues include the fact that the installation of PV on flat roofs (commonly found on apartment buildings) may compromise the roof’s water-tightness, and the height of apartment buildings may necessitate a crane for installation, increasing costs.

Apartment blocks also tend to be clustered, causing potential issues with shading.

However, there are a number of innovative new sustainable technologies that could be used to address these issues.

Solar panels and storage While standard solar panels are a viable option for all multi-residential building types, companies Enphase Energy, Monier Roofing and Redflow have developed solutions that challenge the traditional solar panel system.

Circling back to the issue of solar energy governance, Enphase Energy’s microinverter

solution has been used in a number of pioneering case studies on the issue. For example, Stucco Cooperative is a student housing cooperative at the University of Sydney which houses 40 students in eight units, and is made from a heritage-listed converted glass factory. Stucco recently received an $80,000 grant from the City of Sydney Council, which was used to install solar panels and microinverters.

The students of the cooperative worked with lawyers to develop a framework that would allow the owners of the building to become power providers. Essentially, the owner of the building sells power to the building’s tenants, enabling the owner to reap their share of the profits and eventually pay back the original investment.

Meanwhile, all tenants get the benefits of solar. The cooperative believes that this model could be applied in other multi-residential buildings, including strata apartments.

Enphase Energy’s microinverter technology is an all-AC solution, making it safer and lower voltage compared to string inverter solar systems. This means that all of the cabling throughout the building can be installed in the same cavities as the building’s electrical cabling, with no need to create extra service or hazard zones. The solution is also flexible, allowing the addition of panels or batteries later without having to dismantle and re-install the whole system. It is also possible to have any combination of panels, and to design a system with multiple arrays facing different directions.

“Microinverters are the recommended inverter solution in solar for multi-residential apartments, but also for housing developments, townhouses and duplexes,” says Duncan Macgregor, Enphase Energy product trainer.

2/7/18 10:48 AM

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

38

I N FO L I N K - B P N

SPECIFY

“The panels sit almost flush with your roof tiles,” says Meena Somi, Monier Roofing product manager.

“In fact, string inverters are not recommended for use in apartment buildings due to their lower [levels] of safety, inflexibility to adapt [to] the system design in any way, inability to divide the system per apartment, and low performance in shaded conditions.”

Regarding issues with panel installation and watertightness, Monier Roofing is developing a solution.

The company is soon to release its Inline Solar technology, a panel that can easily be integrated into rooflines for a sleek solar solution.

According to the company, installation is simple with no need to cut, drill or grind through the existing roof. This means the panels will not create roof leaks, while also reducing wind pressure and debris by sitting within the roofline.

“The panels sit almost flush with your roof tiles,” says Meena Somi, Monier Roofing product manager.

“This allows you to capture the cost advantage of standard panels but you integrate it so you get a much better-looking system on your roof.

“In a townhouse or duplex application, our Inline product is going to be the type

of product you would use to get that aesthetic [without being too expensive compared to the standard panel system].”

If aesthetic is a concern, Tesla’s Powerwall 2 is another solution worth considering.

It is a sleek, scalable battery system for residential solar energy storage, which uses an internal inverter to convert DC energy to the AC energy required to power a home.

It has a capacity of 13.5kWh, which is enough to cover most Australian families’ power requirements for the night. It offers app-based smart monitoring, emergency backup power and 100 percent depth of discharge.

The product is also a cost-effective option, with the company claiming it is the most affordable home battery in terms of cost per kWh. A clear improvement from its predecessor, the Powerwall 2 is 40 percent smaller and has double the energy storage at almost half the cost per kWh. Bradford Energy offers full supply and installation of the product, which comes as part of the Bradford Solar ChargePack.

ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN.COM.AU Combining the best in new projects, industry news and expert commentary with the country’s most comprehensive archive of new products, suppliers and their educational resources.

Go online today and discover what’s new.

J AN/ FE B 2 0 1 8

40

INFOLINK - B PN

SPECIFY

ZCell is an energy storage system built around Redflow’s zinc-bromine flow battery

All of the company’s premium ChargePacks contain a Solar Edge inverter system, which the company says has revolutionised the way power is harvested and managed in a solar PV system. The inverter maximises power generation at the individual PV module level while lowering the cost of energy produced by the solar PV system, enabling up to 25 percent more energy to be produced from each panel.

Another product that’s challenging traditional solar solutions is Redflow’s ZCell battery.

ZCell is an energy storage system built around Redflow’s zinc-bromine flow battery. The 10kWh battery is a scalable system that can deliver 100 percent depth of discharge each day for its warranted 10 years, according to the company.

The battery is made from easily recycled or reused components and at the end of its life, the battery’s zinc bromide solution can be purified and used for new batteries.

Safety is one of the product’s main features.

Unlike traditional batteries, the temperaturetolerant zinc-bromine flow batteries contain an inherently non-flammable electrolyte solution, designed to ensure there is no ‘thermal runaway’.

“The electrolyte is on the base so it can’t catch fire, and bromine is a fire-retardant so there is absolutely no risk. The battery has also passed all the tests [which] basically [means] that, even

IL1802_036_040_Power.indd 40

if the controller of the battery is not responding anymore, the battery will still be very safe,” says Redflow technician Mike Giulianini.

“Let’s say you have a short circuit in the battery. As soon as that happens the pumps of the electrolytes automatically stop. It is not the controller that stops them, it is the battery itself. Basically, you are not refreshing the electrolyte at the top of the battery and so you are stopping the chemical reaction. In a matter of minutes, the battery’s energy is completely gone and the battery remains safe.

“This has been really important for us because conventional batteries don’t have this luxury.”

Ventilation Effective ventilation is needed in buildings to remove heat, control moisture and encourage the flow of fresh air. This feature is lacking in many older residential buildings, particularly apartments and townhouses. The design of these buildings can limit air flow to one side of the building, compromising the amount and quality of air flow. The standard roof-mounted ventilation that is often used in detached houses will not be nearly as effective in multi-residential applications.

interior wall and ducted to an external air inlet. According to the company, the added benefit of this is that the air can be filtered if the external air quality is compromised by heavy traffic, industrial buildings or other pollutants associated with urban living.

The company has designed Sonair, a mechanical air filter made to ensure a controlled and quiet supply of filtered fresh air to rooms where windows need to be closed to avoid an influx of noise and/or unpleasant fumes.

The system is mounted on the inside of an exterior wall and draws in outdoor air through a wall sleeve. The fan is mounted in a sound-absorbing chamber which absorbs the fan and air movement noise, as well as most external environmental noise.

The system is supplied with a standard class G3 filter. This is used in conditions with normal dust levels and removes 70-80 percent of particles larger than 10μm, including pollen, hair and spores.

The system can also be used with a F9k filter, which can remove extremely small dust particles while also using carbon to absorb odours. n

Monier Roof Tiles monier.com.au Edmonds

Edmonds Ventilation recommends the use of air filtration units mounted to an

Ventilation edmonds.com.au Redflow redflow. com Tesla tesla.com Enphase Energy enphase.com

2/7/18 10:48 AM

advertising feature – Wilsonart

A Multi-Layered Approach: Specifying Laminate for Interior Applications

V

ersatile, durable, and costeffective, laminate offers unmatched design flexibility.

Though often thought suitable exclusively for bench tops, kitchen counters, and other wet areas, laminate is appropriate for a wide range of residential and commercial applications. It can be machined to virtually any size or shape, and saves on costs and labour by eliminating the need for postinstallation finishing or treatment.

Thanks to recent advances in anti-fingerprint surface technology, the already diverse range of applications of laminate has undergone significant expansion.

Understanding types of laminate There are three main types of laminate: high pressure, compact, and low pressure.

High pressure laminate (HPL) is produced at a high temperature and using high pressure, and is comprised of a resin-impregnated Kraft paper core, decorative face paper veneer, and melamine overlay. HPL is resistant to impact and offers outstanding surface durability, making it ideal for heavy-duty applications. Distinguishable by its black core, compact laminate is a subtype of HPL that is thicker, heavier, and has greater load bearing capabilities thanks to extra layers of resin-impregnated paper sheets in its core.

Conversely, low pressure melamine(LPM) bonds resin-impregnated Kraft paper directly to a sheet of particleboard of

IL1802_041_WIlsonart_ADV_final.indd 41

MDF. The lack of a dense core makes LPM lightweight and thin, but significantly reduces its weight and impact resistance.

Choosing a finish for your laminate Many suppliers stock timber and masonry laminates that use face papers printed with high-resolution images of wood and stone to create a realistic natural look; textures can be embossed directly into the melamine overlay to enhance the effect. Specifiers can also choose from a range of factory finish colours, textures, and images, or supply their own image or design.

Additionally, performance finishes are available for laminate in specialised applications, and include finishes for fire rating, chemical resistance, and use as a dry erase board.

Indoor applications of laminate A stalwart of residential projects around the world, laminate is used in renovations and new builds alike. Its clean, contemporary aesthetic and sheer versatility make laminate the ideal choice for everything from decorative door panels and cabinetry to countertops.

When selecting laminate for residential use, it is important to carefully consider the nature of the application. For example, HPL and compact laminate are more appropriate for loadbearing contexts like furniture or shelves, while LPM is better suited for decorative use.

In commercial contexts, laminate is valued for its cost-effectiveness, durability, and easy machining

capabilities. The sheer range of customisation available to designers when using laminate is unmatched by any other decorative surface, with laminate allowing for the easy integration of logos, colours, and images for branding purposes.

Laminate employed as interior wall cladding must comply with the relevant fire resistance requirements for wall lining materials set out in the Building Code of Australia.

Wilsonart For over five decades, Wilsonart has led the global market in the design and production of innovative laminate products. A pioneering spirit, strong sustainability focus, and commitment to high quality production are the drivers behind an extensive range of laminates for commercial and residential use.

Wilsonart’s most recent innovation is Traceless, an anti-fingerprint technology for dark laminate surfaces. Smooth and velvety to the touch, Traceless adds a touch of luxe to residential and commercial environments alike and eliminates the risk of retaining fingerprints and smudges, creating new possibilities for the use of darkcoloured laminates in high traffic applications.

Download the full whitepaper here. bit.ly/2nLkrn5

2/7/18 5:03 PM

J AN/ FEB 2 0 1 8

42

I NFOLI NK - BPN

specify

PREFAB DISRUPTION: ARE WE THERE YET? words: GERLADINE CHUA

It’s been said that all industry disruptors are innovators, but not all innovators are disruptive.

With prefabricated construction, the question of whether this 21st century process has truly shaken up Australia’s building industry is one with no clear answer.

O

n the one hand, there has been a growing buzz around prefab design – the umbrella term given to any structural, architectural or service elements that are fabricated offsite in a factory. Some call it pre-built construction, others off-site construction.

Then there’s modular construction, where individual prefab units are connected and built up to form an overall structure.

“Prefab is becoming extremely popular in Australia, with many large and smaller builders, suppliers and tradesmen embracing prefab in hundreds of different formats,” Andrew Grimshaw, director of SBS Group, tells Infolink | BPN.

“It gives builders and designers a completely different scope to create complex or simple structures off-site, which can be quickly brought to the work site and installed.

“This saves valuable time, labour and total overall efficiency compared with traditional methods of construction. Utilising many different materials with smart engineering and construction techniques adds a vastly superior edge to today’s construction requirements.

“Whether its prefabricating steel framing or prefabricating kitchens or even plumbing piping, prefabrication is growing as the ideas flow forth.”

THE HIGHLIGHTS SO FAR One of the biggest spaces where prefab is geared to make a lasting impact is in the multi-residential sector. With rapidly growing populations in our major cities and ongoing housing shortages, many prefab proponents argue that constructing multi-residences off-site is the answer, as it would offer both reduced build times and enhanced economic value.

PrefabAUS, the peak prefab body in Australia, predicted that more than 10 percent of new homes in the country could be prefabs within a decade – a shift that would have considerable cost savings for developers and homebuyers.

And we have the goods to make a strong case, too. In 2017, a 44-storey apartment tower in Melbourne broke the record as Australia’s tallest prefab building. Designed

by Rothelowman and developed by Longriver Investments, the La Trobe Tower was built by Hickory Group using its modular delivery model, Hickory Building Systems (HBS).

According to Hickory Group, employing HBS allowed the project to be completed in just 19 months as opposed to 26 months. Parallel track construction – whereby on- and off-site construction program were “accelerated with careful planning and prototyping, providing speed and certainty in meeting timelines” – was largely responsible for this 30 percent improvement in delivery time.

In other words, the structure could be fabricated to final completion even as on-site preparation and foundations were being laid.

Rothelowman principal Stuart Marsland adds that the benefits of using prefab for the La Trobe Tower extended far beyond delivery times. It also created a much safer on-site working environment and allowed the building to go up in the evening.

“The modules were brought in at night after 6.30pm until around 10.30 or 11pm. They were lifted in place with a quiet electric crane—and there were no complaints from anybody about construction disruption,” Marsland explains. “It presented us with a massive advantage while building in a tight urban space.”

“Most prefab buildings start off looking like prefab buildings, whereas Hickory could come to the party (after design) and make it work,” Marsland adds.

However, Hickory is not the only company tapping into prefab technologies locally.

Companies such as XLam, the Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) manufacturer who provides timber panels to several projects on both sides of the Tasman; as well as SBS Group, which prefabricates light gauge steel frames, are just two of many players in Australia’s blossoming prefab industry.

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

43

I N FO L I N K - B P N

specify

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

44

I N FO L I N K - B P N

specify

The high-strength engineered wall frames are manufactured with CNC technology using BHP’s Truecore light gauge steel. With the ability to carry plant loads, and with services easily incorporated, the frames are delivered to site for immediate and fast erection.

Furthermore, there is no need to pack or straighten walls for plasterboard with framing manufactured to true and accurate site specifications.

THE BUMPS IN THE ROAD Despite the many benefits of prefab and all its hallmarks of disruption, the statistics show that Australia is still firmly tethered to conventional construction. Currently, just around three percent of construction in the country is built off-site.

In 2015, researchers from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) listed reasons suggesting why prefab’s entry into the world of mainstream construction methods has been slow. One explanation is the warm climate of Australia’s urban areas.

“With an abundance of sun and no routine snowfall in our coastal capitals, there has not yet been a compelling reason to move the workforce inside,” QUT senior research fellow Wendy Miller, research fellow Dale Steinhardt and associate professor of Construction Management Karen Manley, said in an article for The Conversation.

There are also hurdles associated with the financing of prefabricated residential buildings.

“Financing for traditional house builds relies on the gradual release of funds as milestones are reached, such as the pouring of a concrete slab, erection of the frame, and full completion,” they noted.

“In contrast, prefabrication reduces the on-site work to a simple installation process, with no gradual progression, so the builder/ manufacturer needs funding up front.”

Dr Paul Kremer, head of sales and marketing for XLam, also points to existing ways of thinking as a key hurdle preventing prefab from becoming the ‘go-to’ system in Australia.

PREVIOUS: “Within a prefab construction philosophy, the project delivery on-site is accelerated, therefore delivering the building typically up to 30 percent faster.”

ABOVE: Designed by Rothelowman and developed

by Longriver Investments, the La Trobe Tower was built by Hickory Group using its modular delivery model, Hickory Building Systems (HBS).

J AN / F E B 2 0 1 8

45

INFOLINK-BPN

specify

“If we look at the lifecycle of a traditional build being constructed over 12 months, you might do four months of preparatory planning, design and engineering before starting the project. You might then continue to make changes to the building right up to the seventh month mark, before you finish the building off in the 12th month, ” he explains.

prefab project built to completion was the La Trobe Tower, agrees. “Some people think prefab is going to save money—it will not. Some think it’s going to deliver a factory-finished apartment, like a car—it will not. What it does do is deliver quicker time frames, safer environments, and less environmental disruption,” he explains.

“Within a prefab construction philosophy, the project delivery on-site is accelerated, therefore delivering the building typically up to 30 percent faster—once you have the experience in working in this different way.”

These are the benefits that really appeal to developers. After all, a substantially shorter project delivery time can mean quicker settlements. And when developers start asking for more prefab buildings, the trickle-down effect can start to build momentum.

“So you’re actually saving approximately three to four months in terms of the project time.

However, you’ve got to do a lot more preparatory and design work at the front end and freeze your drawings and design well in advance of the manufacturing process to allow the materials to be produced and delivered on-site.”

“The prefab philosophy requires a ‘flipped’ way of engaging with all the stakeholders along the value chain.”

Furthermore, Kremer adds, architects need to question and check their motivations for designing and building in prefab.

“If it’s to be innovative, novel or thinking you’re at the cutting-edge—that might not necessarily be the right scenario for an architect to be using prefab,” he says. “[But if you] turn around and say that you want to change the way we build in Australia and improve the building process—and not in an individualistic way, like making the biggest, best and most advanced building—then a great starting point would be to ask yourself how prefab may benefit your team, and more importantly, the total project, including all of the people along the value chain.”

Marsland, whose first multi-residential

Some people think prefab is going to save money—it will not.

Some think it’s going to deliver a factoryfinished apartment, like a car—it will not. What it does do is deliver quicker time frames, safer environments, and less environmental disruption.

WHAT’S NEXT? Although there is no denying prefab could play a bigger role in Australia’s construction sector, for now it remains on a ‘discovery journey’, with each system working in tandem with other building methods.

“I think what will actually happen is you’ll see a combination of technologies working in a coordinated or concerted

fashion to formulate a building system or product or output,” Kremer says.

“With CLT, for example, we may just do your roof and floors, and you use another product like timber framing to do the walls and infill walls.”

Then there are the notable achievements that have already taken place. For instance, whole three- to four-storey apartment buildings are being prefabricated without heavy engineering or concrete structures today, Grimshaw notes.

Prefab’s partnership with digital technology – specifically BIM and 3D printing – is yet another key development area to look forward to.

“In another two decades we could find that we’re making houses in much the same way we are today,” Dr Stefan Hajkowicz, senior principal scientist at CSIRO, wrote in 2016.

“But this scenario has a faint whiff of Kodak about it – short-sighted thinking that brought the well-known company to its knees when digital cameras emerged. The same thinking has left the taxi industry on the back foot as Uber disrupts the status quo.”

“Having spent much of my career advising companies about technology disrupters, I’ve learned the past doesn’t always match the future. That’s the nature of disruption.

Patterns of change build gradually until they merge and rapidly reshape the business landscape,” he says.

So, the answer to whether prefab has disrupted Australia’s building industry doesn’t have to be a choice between ‘yes’ and ‘no’. Maybe it’s simply, ‘not yet’. n

SUPPLIERS & CONTRACTERS: SBS Group sbsgroup.com.au XLam Australia xlam.co.nz Hickory Group hickory. com.au Rothelowman rothelowman.com.au

advertising feature – ALLEGION

INTRODUCING LEGGE’S LUXE. PORTFOLIO OF FINISHES

T

o create a personal point of difference for your next project, we have expanded the range of available finishes on our market leading door furniture with Legge’s Luxe. portfolio. We have expanded our door furniture with four new stunning finishes; oil rubbed bronze, satin black chrome, satin brass and antique bronze. The new finishes are additional to Legge’s standard finish options; stain chrome, polished chrome and polished brass.

Typical Applications for New finishes: Oil rubbed bronze is perfect for rustic, down-to-earth living spaces.

It is perfect for classical settings.

Satin black chrome is a premium quality finish with a striking and versatile appearance which makes a bold statement, bridging traditional and modern styles.

Satin brass is bold without being over the top, with the perfect amount of understated style. It offers a more refined take on the rustic look of unfinished brass.

With a wider range of finish options you have a greater range of choices to select from, to truly personalise your projects and make them stand out. The Legge Luxe. portfolio can be matched with other available products from within our entire range offering, to ensure a consistent look and feel for your project. This series of premium finishes also allows greater finish matching across other non-related products such as plumbing and lighting fixtures.

Legge, an Allegion brand, has a long history of making high quality and compliant door hardware, with a nationwide network of support for both architects and installers, all backed by industry leading 10 to 30 year warranties.

Antique bronze is a rich brown finish with golden undertones in a warm, welcoming appearance.

This range includes seven durable finishes, 16 lever designs, and five lever plate/rose designs to choose from. The Legge Luxe.

Series of door furniture makes the perfect style statement in a broad range of commercial and high end residential projects.

IL1802_046_Allegion_ADV_Final.indd 46

More Information allegion.com.au/luxe

2/7/18 4:54 PM

J AN / FEB 2 0 1 8

47

INFOLINK- BPN

SPECIFY

Multi-Res: What’s Trending in HVAC words: Bonnie Tai

According to the Australian Department of Environment and Energy, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) makes up a significant proportion of a building’s total power consumption, with a typical system accounting for approximately 40 percent.

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

48

I N FO L I N K - B P N

SPECIFY

T

hat’s why special attention to the right heating and cooling system must be paid before implementation into multi-residential dwellings, as by simple virtue of the size of the building plus the number of occupants in the units, the energy consumption can vary significantly.

With sustainability and energy efficiency hot topics for both engineers and consumers alike, there is an increasing hunger for new tools and technologies that both reduces waste without compromising optimal comfort levels and helps the consumer save on utilities.

LOOKING TO GEOTHERMALS One such solution that is currently trending in the market is the use of geothermal systems or Ground Source Heat Pumps, as they are commonly known.

“The geothermal heating and cooling system at Fairwater can save residents $1,000 per year,” Frasers Property Australia’s development director Raymond Baksmati told Infolink | BPN.

“The combination of the compact bulkheads connected to the VRV IV-S has proven to be a winning formula,” says Daikin brand manager Lien Lam.

“The technology was originally estimated to save residents around $500 per year but a 2017 study by GeoAir found that higher average saves of between $713 and $1,069 per annum were achievable, based on 100-150 days per year usage.”

“The popularity of the compact range in Australia is such that Daikin Australia have made the decision to start production in our Sydney factory commencing in 2018.”

“In 2016, monitoring equipment was installed at a residence at Fairwater with data taken every five minutes for a period of nine months.”

“Then, a two-week period in February 2017 was sampled to establish the system’s coefficient of performance. In this period, temperatures ranged from 23 to 40 in the day and 19 to 26 in the evening,” says Baksmati.

“In analysing the data, the energy co-efficient averaged at 6.75, which equates to a saving of $713 to $1069 per year. A typical air-conditioning system has a co-efficient of about 3.2.”

Another reason which saw Daikin’s VRV IV-S systems become a crowd favourite, was the intelligent tech embedded within.

“The ability to turn off the units in unoccupied rooms while operating in the occupied spaces means operating costs can be kept to a minimum as the inverter compressor will adjust its speed to match the required load,” says Lam.

FLEXIBLE AIR CONDITIONING UNITS

“The units also allow for different temperatures to be set on each indoor machine which can improve individual comfort, while the intelligent eye on our high wall models can adjust the temperature to a more efficient level when no one is detected in the space.”

The steady growth rate of geothermal systems has been driven by the need for energy efficiency and cost reduction in buildings, the study observed.

Where budget is a key constraint or other factors make geothermal heat pumps unfeasible, there are a number of cost-effective alternative systems ready and able to meet the unique needs of multi-residential buildings.

Over the next few years, Lam predicts that systems will evolve to be even more energy efficient, with improvements to compressor technology and controls to play a major role in achieving these goals.

The trend has found its way onto Australian shores, with the country’s largest geothermal system installed in the Fairwater residential development in Sydney.

Developers and technicians working on the Discovery Point project in Wolli Creek, Sydney favoured Daikin’s multi split and VRV IV-S single fan system.

Whilst the upfront cost of a geothermal heat pump can be quite high, these charges are often offset in the long run by the system’s efficiency and reliability.

Standing at just 990mm high, the units can be double stacked in plant rooms or easily hidden on balconies, making it a popular choice for high residential applications.

“There has also been a shifting trend towards floor by floor plantrooms being relocated internally, meaning there will also be a shift towards the types of systems that do not require much ventilation, like Daikin’s Water-Cooled VRV.”

A market report released late last year titled The Global Geothermal Heat Pump Market 2017-2021 found that the international appetite for geothermals would advance at a compound annual growth rate of 12.04 percent around the world over the next five years.

“This not only provides designers with more flexibility on the design of the building’s

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

49

I N FO L I N K - B P N

SPECIFY

external facade, but it allows the developer to sell the higher value real estate.”

APPLYING SMART CONTROLS Another way to greatly reduce energy consumption in multi-residential dwellings is by employing intelligent building controls, says ABB Australia’s product marketing manager Ian Harding.

“With the use of presence detectors, the ABB system can identify when rooms are occupied and can adjust accordingly.”

“The standard practice is to decrease temperature setpoints by three to five degrees centigrade to save on energy costs,” he says.

Harding estimates that for every one degree Celcius reduction in temperature, a six percent energy saving is achieved, adding that large-scale new builds present enormous potential for energy savings when using ABB’s i-Bus KNX technology.

“Technology coupled with the future can result in endless possibilities.” “[We] are learning more about building usage and behaviours and with the aid of artificial intelligence, ABB is able to predict how to use spaces to be more energy efficient,” he says.

“This will lead to more buildings being ready for us when we need it, for example, having lights on when we arrive, and the room temperature set just right.” n

SUPPLIERS & CONTRACTORS: ABB AUSTRALIA new. abb.com/au Daikin Australia daikin.com.au

With sustainability and energy efficiency hot topics for both engineers and consumers alike, there is an increasing hunger for new tools and technologies that both reduces waste without compromising optimal comfort levels and helps the consumer save on utilities.

j an / feb 2 0 1 8

50

I N FO L I N K - B P N

specify

Upgraded apps help to make Apple’s new iPad Pro more ‘architect friendly’ Words: Branko Miletic

W

ith an expanded range of apps and other features, Apple’s 2017 iPad Pro (combined with the Apple Pencil) is a piece of technology that should find plenty of use with architects and designers, especially in off-site situations.

THE PENCIL

With the ability to use apps such as Procreate, Morpholio, Magicplan and Newforma, the 12.9-inch version of this tablet runs on iOS11, and comes with features such as management tools for apps and extra functionality, making the iPad Pro geared more towards the professional user rather than the recreational one.

While Procreate is geared towards freehand drawing, using the Pencil gives more options with brush thicknesses for example, although for architects, unless they are doing a lot of freehand sketching, this program would not be overtly useful.

Architectural firm BVN, which is fast moving to become what it has coined as the ‘Paperless Architects’, has been extensively testing this iPad version over the past few months.

Craig Burns, BVN’s practice director says, “After a year of running this experiment, I have not generated any paper for my own use (either sketching or printing) and I do not have an assigned desk.”

“Initially, the iPad Pro was a very useful accompaniment although I was still using my laptop for a number of tasks, largely those which were based around our network,” he says.

“Over time though, I have handed in my laptop and now use the iPad Pro as my only computing device. A couple of things have helped facilitate this, the most obvious being the adoption of Citrix across the office.”

“As the real computing grunt of our tasks are taken care of remotely, the device we use is really just an interface,” says Burns.

IL_1802_050_apple_review.indd 50

The three main programs that architects and designers would use on a regular basisProcreate, Morpholio and WORD, all require the Apple Pencil to be used in different ways.

On the other hand, Morpholio is more ‘architect-friendly’ and was developed specifically for the iPad. It also allows architects to draw virtual spaces and then upload them to whatever site/email they wish.

Other features of this app include the ability to sketch instantly over any image and erase the background in order to isolate objects and apply clean overlays, a function than architects should find helpful.

The Apple Pencil can also be used with EXCEL, and while not made explicitly for this program, it is responsive enough to provide a level of functionality that is more or less similar to a mouse.

However, BVN’s Burns says that one of the Pencil’s main drawbacks is its charging method.

“You either plug it in to the iPad lighting port which is cumbersome, or you attach a little adapter to it so that a standard lightning cable can be used. This works well but the adapter is small and fiddly and easy to lose,” he says.

For architects and designers, and also builders, Apple’s iPad Pro has a number of useful features, especially for those working regularly in the field or away from their desks.

As Burns says, “this represents an interesting philosophical moment in the relationship between architectural practice and design technology”. n

The apps.

In terms of the 2017 iPad Pro, there are a number of new and upgraded architect-centric apps, including: • Procreate (drawing) • Morpholio (drawing / sketching) • Paper by 53 (drawing / sketching) • Concepts Smarter Sketching (drawing / sketching) • Readdle Documents (document management) • Magicplan (creating floor plans) • BIMX Pro (BIM tool) • ArchiSnapper (Field report management) • Harvest (time tracking) • Construction Master Pro (Solve construction-maths problems) • AutoCAD 360 Pro (view, create, edit, and share AutoCAD drawings)

2/7/18 3:22 PM

8 - 10 May 2018 ICC Sydney, Darling Harbour

R E T S I G RE INE ONL NOW

SOURCE PRODUCT SHARE SOLUTIONS CONNECT @ARBS Visit Australia’s only international HVAC+R & building services trade exhibition featuring the highly anticipated Speaker Series and Industry Awards

ARBS_Visitor_297x235.indd 1 IL1802_ARBS_FP_AD.indd 51

23/1/18 7:12 pm 31/1/18 2:45 pm

J AN / FEB 2 0 1 8

52

INFOLIN K - BPN

SPECIFY

Smart buildings and cyber security: the obvious link words: Branko Miletic

According to Frost & Sullivan, a smart building is one that uses both technology and processes to create an environment that is safe, healthy, and comfortable and enables productivity and wellbeing for its occupants.

However, for architects, this Brave New world opens up more questions than answers.

IL1802_052_054_Building_Automation_v1.indd 52

2/7/18 10:57 AM

JAN / FEB 2 0 1 8

53

INFOLINK- BPN

SPECIFY

N

ew developments like the Internet of Things (IoT) and its associated technology, Big Data, are starting to make their way into the built environment, meaning that the issue of cybersecurity will no longer just be concern for business or the IT department, but rather, it will become an issue for the population at large.

After all, when the place where one lives has the potential of being hacked by someone that they do not know, then the issue of lax or non-existent cybersecurity quickly escalates into an existential and everyday threat, and one that needs to be addressed quickly and judiciously.

But there is also a historical timeline here. When the Stuxnet virus was first discovered in 2010 notes Frost & Sullivan, the implications for industrial control systems (ICS) “were obvious”, not least of which was that their security and protection through obscurity was no longer a viable strategy.

After all, what the hackers were searching for were the addresses of the industrial control units, also known as SCADA or Small Control and Data Acquisition.

While we have not seen anything similar as yet in the built environment, the same principle applies to a smart building, where each structure will have a distinct Internet Protocol or IP address. The physical locale of the structure and its attributes will be of little concern to the hackers, it’s the IP address that is the real prize.

Smart buildings now becoming a target As Frost & Sullivan noted in their 2015 study: ‘Cybersecurity in smart buildings inaction is not an option anymore’, “research and evaluation of the concerns cited by various stakeholders of the smart buildings industry, the systems of a smart building can undoubtedly become low-hanging fruit for motivated cyber attackers.”

And the question, says the research group, is not how, but rather, when the attacks on smart buildings will begin.

At the same time, says Frost & Sullivan, the solution “lies in recognising the scope and magnitude of cybercrimes that can impact smart buildings, understanding ICS vulnerabilities, evaluating cost of damage, devising mitigation methods, and pursuing an ongoing robust cybersecurity plan for smart buildings.”

IL1802_052_054_Building_Automation_v1.indd 53

Moreover, it says, the building automation system (BAS) or a building operating system (BOS) “has moved considerably from the physical realm to one with IT enabling all aspects of its functioning, with now a new generation of connected and intelligent buildings powered by IoT.” The entry of technology vendors and service providers has started a completely new and transformational phase in the evolution of the smart building.

According to IT systems provider Honeywell, one of the “key drivers for integrating systems and making buildings more intelligent is for the energy savings that can be achieved.”

a smart building can undoubtedly become low-hanging fruit for motivated cyber attackers.

Furthermore, says Honeywell, the operational benefits obtained from integration are also very important, especially when we are talking about planning, security and people management.

In a whitepaper from 2016, Honeywell noted that “Most large, newly constructed or refurbished buildings have at least a basic level of integration.

“Over time, the company says, “the level of integration in larger buildings is expected to rise.”

The pros and cons of networking buildings It is this integration that sits at the crux of the cybersecurity issue, after all, it’s the networking of IT systems where the biggest vulnerabilities are to be found.

This rush to network buildings is being accelerated by companies like Intel, who are moving from their traditional device-centric world firmly into the built environment.

The reason for this revolves around the changing realities of profit and cost.

Traditionally, says Intel, the high cost of building management systems (BMS) has been difficult to justify for small- to mediumsized buildings. “This is now changing as leading-edge technologies for the Internet of Things (IoT) are being used to drive down BMS cost, transforming the market dynamics for software vendors, systems integrators, and solution providers.”

“Accelerating this transformation” says Intel, is products like its Building Management Platform which combines “cloud-based smart building applications and services in order to secure and provide easy access to data in commercial buildings.”

“The platform connects to disparate building equipment and devices that use a variety of protocols and sends their data to cloudbased services and applications for business intelligence (BI), analytics, dashboards, and other applications,” says Intel.

In other words, it is the pointy end of the spear when we talk about the IoT, or in a built environment sense, the Buildings Internet of Things, better known as the BIOT.

The price of buildings-based cyber security just went up According to Meemori Research in its 2017 report: Cyber Security in Smart Commercial Buildings 2017 to 2021, there is a strong interrelationship between the BIOT market and the cyber security market for smart buildings.

“Buildings control systems are increasingly being deployed along with embedded communications technology to provide critical services that allow a building to meet the functional and operational needs of building occupants,” notes the Meemori Research report.

“Smart buildings promise significant benefits to owners and operators in terms of efficiency, safety, comfort and functionality, but these systems also carry potential costs, as without the right levels of protection, they can act as tempting targets for would-be hackers and or malicious insiders.”

“The increased proliferation of smart devices, combined with persistent concerns over cyberrisk and data privacy and an increased incidence

2/7/18 10:57 AM

J AN/ FE B 2 0 1 8

54

INFOLIN K - B PN

SPECIFY

“Smart buildings promise significant benefits to owners and operators in terms of efficiency, safety, comfort and functionality...”

The entry of technology vendors and service providers has started a completely new and transformational phase in the evolution of the smart building.

of cyber attacks against smart buildings will help drive a significant increase in demand for new cyber security hardware, software and services in the market,” says the Meemori study.

The commercial buildings sector is a major growth market that demands true industrial-grade solutions such as this new standard, according to SIG.

Based on its research into the dynamics of the market, Meemori found that global revenues for smart building cyber security will reach $USD8.65 billion by 2021, up from an estimated $USD4.26 billion in 2016.

According to a spokesperson for Bluetooth SIG, “New control and automation systems, from lighting to heating/cooling to security, are about to make homes and offices a lot smarter.

Bluetooth mesh networking supports these smart buildings, enabling tens, hundreds or even thousands of wireless devices to reliably and securely communicate with each other.”

Connectivity protocols on the march In mid-2017, a new Bluetooth protocol was released specifically for use in so-called ‘smart buildings.’

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), pointed out that the Bluetooth wireless protocol now supports mesh networking, enabling many-to-many (m:m) device communications for building automation.

“In the same way the connected device market experienced rapid growth after the introduction of Bluetooth Low Energy, we believe Bluetooth mesh networking can play a vital role in helping early stage markets, such as building automation and wireless sensor networks, experience more rapid growth,” says Mark Powell, executive director for Bluetooth SIG.

IL1802_052_054_Building_Automation_v1.indd 54

The era of smart buildings means we’ll need to fast develop some very smart thinking about cyber security; we no longer can be confined to just worrying about energy efficiencies, lighting styles and physical security.

In this new age, a detailed knowledge and strategy of how to digitally protect our buildings will be crucial to maintaining this new ‘smart’ built environment.

So, while we are still in the early stages of the possibility of cyber attacks on our smart buildings, continued cybersecurity concerns also have the potential to undermine the growth of this industry and its associated markets, primarily because of the potential financial losses that all stakeholders may incur in the event of a cyber breach. n

2/7/18 10:57 AM

advertising feature – PUDA

Faster, Simpler, Customisable: How Prefabrication is Revolutionising Bathroom Design

T

oday’s architects are faced with unprecedented pressure to deliver complex, environmentally responsible projects within time and budget constraints that are tighter than ever before. In response, the industry is investigating new and innovative technologies for streamlining the construction process.

One such technology is prefabrication, which is gaining popularity due to its facilitation of the quick and accurate construction of sophisticated, visually distinctive architecture and spaces. Ideal for the high-rise, multi-residential structures currently dominating Australian architecture, prefabrication is fast gaining traction in the unconventional locations of kitchens, laundries, and bathrooms – rooms typically demanding high levels of coordination and customisation.

What is prefabrication?

Prefabrication is an umbrella term that encompasses a range of 3D or 2D construction methods. It refers to any building – or part thereof – that has been constructed off-site and is delivered to site either partly or wholly completed. In 3D prefabrication, modular units arrive on-site ready to be installed and may comprise entire rooms such as a bathroom; in 2D prefabrication, on the other hand, pre-sized or moulded components or panels must be assembled on site. Both options significantly reduce construction times and offer cost efficiency and sustainability benefits without impinging on design flexibility. In Australasia, the only provider of flat packed bathroom solutions is PUDA, whose innovative modular

IL1802_055_PUDA_ADV_FINAL.indd 55

systems streamline construction times and offer outstanding design flexibility. Unlike competing producers of modular bathrooms, PUDA does not work off a standard mould and instead has the capability to design in accordance with any architect’s drawings.

The benefits of prefabrication The foremost benefit of prefabrication is the unmatched level of design flexibility that it offers. Ideal for mass customisation, prefabricated bathrooms from PUDA and a select few other companies allow bathroom elements to be composed and configured in a virtually limitless range of possibilities. Designers control all aspects of the bathroom, including wall and floor linings, cabinetry, and plumbing components. Some manufacturers – such as PUDA – capture the architect’s creative vision in fully documented and detailed shop drawings to enable consultation, alterations, and additions later on in the design process.

The flexibility of prefabricated bathrooms is bolstered by quality controlled, off-site manufacturing, which enables a high level of precision. Eliminating hurdles to quality such as weather conditions and on-site vandalism, prefabrication allows bathrooms to be constructed with unrivalled accuracy, ensuring that the architect’s vision is fully and faithfully realised. Benefits extend to the post-installation stage, with PUDA offering a 10-year guarantee on all bathroom units.

Beyond this, prefabricated bathrooms can be reliably scaled to allow the quick, easy, and efficient construction of multiple bathrooms of the same design and layout. This efficiency

is coupled with outstanding sustainability credentials: prefabricated bathrooms from PUDA produce 30% less waste than their conventionally constructed counterparts, and are ideal for today’s waste-conscious construction industry.

PUDA Prefabricated Bathroom Solutions The sole Australasian provider of high-quality, flat-packed prefabricated bathrooms, PUDA leads the market in flexible and efficient bathroom construction. Combining nearly 30 years’ industry experience and knowledge with cutting-edge design and precise manufacture, PUDA prefabricated bathrooms have become synonymous with flexibility, efficiency, and beauty. All PUDA bathroom units are constructed to exacting standards and can be installed in as little as 1 to 1.5 days.

PUDA prefabricated bathrooms avail of the latest contemporary construction technologies and are precisely fabricated within three months of order placement. This manufacturing precision is combined with PUDA’s advanced, computerised quality control system, which streamlines material volumes to reduce costs and wastage.

PUDA.com.au info@puda.com.au 07 3505 5986 Download the full whitepaper here. goo.gl/detYpj

2/7/18 5:05 PM

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

56

I N FO L I N K - B P N

Specify

Get the Information you need AustraliA’s leading source of new & exciting building and Architectural products

showcase index

2

ways to use infolink: ONLINE

e-newsletter

visit architectureanddesign .com.au/products to download information and/or enquire directly to the advertiser

subscribe to architecture & design newsletter & get new products & news sent directly to your email

PAGE CODE

ACOUSTICS

PAGE CODE

INSULATION

Acoustic tiles

58

835AX

Micro-perforated timber acoustic panel

61

836AX

Acoustic decorative ceiling and wall finishes

62

837AX

Thermally bonded polyester fibre insulation

59

838AX

852AX

60

865AX

61

855AX

61

856AX

LAMINATES, SOILD SURFACES & VENEERS Fingerprint proof laminate

BATHROOMS & LAUNDRIES

59

KITCHENS & KITCHEN EQUIPMENT Kitchen tap mixer with cool, hot and steaming water

AUDIO VISUAL LED screens for architecture

showcase index

LANDSCAPING & OUTDOOR

In-wall concealed cisterns

62

839AX

Pre-fabricated bathroom solutions

62

840AX

Fire-rated insulating panels

60

841AX

Commercial lighting and light control systems

62

857AX

Insulated building envelope wrap

61

842AX

Luminaires and architectural features and fittings

60

858AX

62

859AX

61

860AX

61

861AX

60

862AX

58

863AX

60

864AX

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

LIGHTING & LIGHTING ACCESSORIES

CEILINGS, INTERNAL WALL MATERIALS & PARTITIONING

SHELVING & STORAGE

Architectural components catalogue

57

853AX

Architectural timber ceilings

62

843AX

Aluminium screens and cladding sets

59

844AX

Insulated façade system

62

845AX

Polycarbonate architectural mesh facades

61

846AX

Prefabricated roofing and wall cladding

62

847AX

Structural cladding system

60

848AX

Timber-looking non-combustible cladding

60

849AX

Rectangular sun louvres TILES, PAVERS & ACCESSORIES Permeable pavers WALL COVERINGS Natural timber panelling WASTE MANAGEMENT

fire protection 60

850AX

FLOORS & FLOORING Underfloor heating

Lift systems for wall cabinets SUN CONTROL & SHADES

EXTERIOR WALL MATERIALS

Intumescent coatings

Wood composite decking system

Zero threshold drains WINDOW FURNISHINGS

61

851AX

Retractable insect screens and blinds

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

57

I N FO L I N K - B P N

Specify

THE COMPLETE HÄFELE ARCHITECTURAL HARDWARE Häfele Australia is proud to bring you the very latest catalogue for your architectural projects. The Complete Häfele - Architectural Hardware. Functional and reliable Architectural Hardware are essential for the efficient function of buildings of all types.

From retail store to office buildings, hotels to residential developments and hospitals with products such as Door furniture, Access Control, Sliding & Folding systems.

Across the vast 650 pages of The Complete Häfele - Architectural Hardware you will find solutions for all projects. Order yours today at www.hafele.com.au Contact Häfele 1300 659 728 hafele.com.au

756AX 853AX

ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN.COM.AU/PRODUCTS

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

58

I N FO L I N K - B P N

Specify

Zero threshold drains for seamless continuity between indoor and outdoor areas designed to eliminate the ‘trip-and-slip’ hazards of stepdown partitions, stormtech’s threshold drain delivers uninterrupted access between indoor and outdoor living areas and is access and mobility compliant according to as1428.

The low-profile design features a linear stainless steel drainage system with a concealed channel section for door tracks and thresholds.

The external linear grate sits flush beside the doortrack, in precise alignment with the ground surface. an integrated, concealed, subsill collects water flows and condensation around the doorway, conveying it to the external drainage system. the threshold drain integrates elegantly into sliding door tracks, bi-folds or hinged doors, is compatible with major door manufacturers and available in 5 different styles of grate designs, including the marc newson tessellated pattern. as one of australia’s most respected drainage manufacturers and suppliers, stormtech is committed to delivering the highest quality drainage solutions for today’s unique building projects.

Stormtech’s skilled specialists work closely with specifiers, architects and builders to offer tailored drainage solutions, including bespoke drawings and plans for customised drainage designs for all australian environments. stormtech works proactively with plumbing advisory services to ensure drainage is not only fit for purpose, but meets stringent Building Code of australia (bca) compliance measures. contact stormtech +61 2 4423 1989 stormtech.com.au

756AX 863AX

architectureanddesign.com.au/Products

BaLance inJects suPerior sound aBsorPtion QuaLities in to the WoVen image acoustic tiLe PortFoLio Balance acoustic tiles are made of award-winning echoPanel® in 24mm thickness and boast an outstanding 0.85 nrc value while radiating an elegant, designer surface-finish. available in 3 proportionally-sized tile products and 9 colourways, Balance provides an endless stream of design options and configurations that can be created for a number of settings and spaces. Balance tiles are lightweight and use a pressure sensitive peel ‘n’ stick adhesive for quick and easy installation.

Like all Woven image acoustic products, Balance is made of 60% post-consumer waste sourced from recycled Pet bottles. in 2016/17 Woven image diverted over 13 million 1L plastic bottles from oceans and landfill to convert into EchoPanel® – a product with a minimum 10-year life expectancy, which is still 100% recyclable and reusable. now that’s a serious upcycle!

Whether you’re looking to create privacy or to efficiently control noise in an open-plan office, café, lobby, classroom or restaurant, Woven images acoustic tiles are an architects and designer’s key to achieving a quality bespoke design with acoustic function and first class environmental credentials.

Visit our website to browse our extensive collection, or call to discuss your customisation needs. contact Woven image +61 2 9913 8668 wovenimage.com

835AX 756AX

architectureanddesign.com.au/Products

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

59

I N FO L I N K - B P N

Specify

BLacK acoustic insuLation Martini Absorb HD Black is a thermally-bonded polyester fibre insulation specifically engineered to provide high-performance sound absorption across a broad range of frequencies.

The special fine-fibre blend used in Martini Absorb will enhance the low frequency performance over standard materials that are made only to a thickness and density specification. Fibre diameter is significant for acoustic insulation products. Air trapped between fibres reacts with sound energy and is converted to heat. The more fibres per square metre of insulation, the greater the surface area for absorption, which translates into superior acoustic performance.

In addition to the acoustic performance of Martini Absorb HD Black, the products achieve a Group 1 fire rating under the new standard AS 5637.1 and achieves 0, 0, 0, 0-1 for early fire hazard testing in accordance with Australian Standards AS1530.3.

Martini Absorb is manufactured in Australia from thermally-bonded polyester fibre with up to 80% recycled fibre content from post-consumer PET packaging, such as empty drink bottles. Environmental benefits include: • • • • • •

No chemicals or resin binders are used in manufacture.

Odourless and contains no harmful volatile organic compounds (VOC).

No waste is generated in manufacture.

No water or ozone-depleting gases are used in manufacture.

No chlorides are present in the product.

Suitable for use in Green Star™ projects.

Contact Bradford 1300 760 233 Acoustigard.com.au

756AX 852AX

architectureanddesign.com.au/Products

ever art Wood® series Beautiful, Japanese made, timber alternative.

successfully integrate led screens with architecture

designed with excellent weather resistance, and performs well to Australian fire standards.

ci is an unrivalled architectural resource for large format led display. their achievements include australia’s best stadium perimeter led (mcg/etihad), best light transparent media façade (emporium) and australia’s most impressive shopping centre led examples, indoor and outdoor.there are many traps for the unwary with led but ci can provide you with the necessary technical knowhow to ensure you get the right product specified for your project.

Available in a selection of profile sizes, cladding panels, textural surfaces, and unique installation options.

ci offer every led possibility, from screens seen up close to roof top giants, if you would like to match or better what designers are doing overseas.

contact covet +61 3 9398 8128 covet.com.au

contact led 1300 242 742 ciasia.com.au.

covet’s aluminium screens and cladding sets a new benchmark in natural-look timber alternatives.

802AX 844AX

architectureanddesign.com.au/Products

838AX

architectureanddesign.com.au/Products

J AN/ FE B 2 0 1 8

60

INFO L INK - B P N

Specify Multitap 3N1

by InSinkErator Multitap 3N1 dispenses cool water, hot water as well as steaming hot water from the single kitchen mixer tap.

Designed and manufactured in Italy this high-quality tap brings contemporary style to new and existing kitchen spaces.

853AX

architectureanddesign.com.au/PRODUCTS

Custom designer lighting and architectural fittings Aglo Systems offer custom design and manufacture of bespoke luminaires and architectural features and fittings. These fabrications are suitable for large construction developments such as casinos, hotels, restaurants, and luxury multi-residential apartment developments.

858AX

architectureanddesign.com.au/PRODUCTS

BOSS FireShield™ intumescent coatings When exposed to heat, BOSS FireShield™ intumescent coatings expand and effectively extinguish the flow of heat to the treated surface, prevents the spread of fire, providing precious minutes of fire protection and contributing to the saving of lives and property.

850AX

architectureanddesign.com.au/PRODUCTS

Aramax freespan structural cladding system ARAMAX FreeSpan is bigger, bolder, and can go deeper than conventional roofing and walling profiles, allowing for huge roofing spans of up to 20 metres with no purlins or grits. This eliminates the cost and complexity of secondary structures.

848AX

architectureanddesign.com.au/PRODUCTS

Expresswood

by Cedar Sales

FireFORM commercial building system

Available in Channel and Vee-Joint profiles, Expresswood Hemlock panelling comes with a natural timber grain and an alluring selection of washes in expressive colours. The surface of Expresswood is smooth and straight, making it an ideal substrate for coating finishes.

The ZEGO FireFORM is suitable for residential and commercial applications that require a fire rating and can be cut to suit different heights easily. It is available in 60mm and 100mm thicknesses.

862AX

architectureanddesign.com.au/PRODUCTS

Alu Selekta: A new standard of durability Urbanline Alu Selekta is an innovative new product made from highly durable aluminium.

The non-combustible product is eco-friendly, low maintenance and incredibly durable. It’s ideal for high rises and bushfire rated areas.

849AX

architectureanddesign.com.au/PRODUCTS

841AX

architectureanddesign.com.au/PRODUCTS

Centor retractable screens and blinds for large openings ensure views remain unobstructed Centor screens and blinds retract into their frame when not in use, ensuring views to outside remain unobstructed.

They can be elegantly paired with new or existing doors to keep insects out, and provide sun protection and privacy.

864AX

architectureanddesign.com.au/PRODUCTS

J AN / FE B 2 0 1 8

61

I N FO L I N K - B P N

SPECIFY AU.DIMICRO MICROPERFORATED TIMBER ACOUSTIC PANEL Atkar’s Au.diMicro provides the look of solid timber where high level acoustic performance is required. The engineered micro perforations are so small they are almost invisible, and have minimal visual effect on the timber colour or grain pattern.

836AX

ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN.COM.AU/PRODUCTS

LOUVRETEC RECTANGULAR SUN LOUVRES FOR CONTEMPORARY SUN PROTECTION Rectangular sun louvres offer shade and weather protection and are custom-made to specification, including an almost unlimited range of powder coat and anodised fi nishes.

The product is appropriate for both commercial and residential applications.

860AX

ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN.COM.AU/PRODUCTS

KAYNEMAILE ARMOUR™ EXTERIOR SCREENS

INNOWOOD’S PREMIUM “FIBRE DECK” SYSTEM

Kaynemaile™ specialises in polycarbonate architectural mesh façades for existing or new buildings. From singlepiece flat screens to multiscreen sculptural installations, Kaynemaile have a solution to work with any design and budget.

The INNOWOOD Premium “Fibre Deck” System is a wood composite product that utilises a new patented technology which enhances the rigidity, durability and toughness of the decking board to achieve better performance by signifi cantly minimising the board movement at different temperatures.

846AX

ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN.COM.AU/PRODUCTS

856AX

ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN.COM.AU/PRODUCTS

WRAP UP EARLIER, REVERSE BUILD™ WITH THERMOSEAL™ WALL WRAP

HYDROPAVERS® PERMEABLE PAVERS: ELIMINATE OR REDUCE WATER RUN-OFF

Thermoseal Wall Wrap provides a protective weather barrier that allows trades to carry out work inside a house, before the facade is constructed. Builders are no longer at the mercy of bad weather, or the availability of external facade contractors.

Hydropavers® provide the perfect response to rainfall, whether it’s a light shower or a heavy downpour. The product allows the water to pass through the paver and go into the soil, replenishing our groundwater stocks and assisting in the hydration of surrounding plants.

842AX

ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN.COM.AU/PRODUCTS

THERMONET UNDERFLOOR HEATING WITH LIFETIME CABLE WARRANTY

ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN.COM.AU/PRODUCTS

FINGER PRINT PROOF TRACELESS LAMINATE

Thermogroup’s underfloor heating systems are energyefficient, on-demand, and provide interior design flexibility and improved comfort. The product can adapt to most floor types.

851AX

861AX

ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN.COM.AU/PRODUCTS

Wilsonart® Traceless is a high-pressure decorative laminate that can be used in the most demanding interior design application, where design flexibility is paramount.

This durable smooth surface is impact, scratch and heat resistant. It does not stain and is easy to clean.

855AX

ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN.COM.AU/PRODUCTS

J AN/ FE B 2 0 1 8

62

INFO L INK - B P N

Specify Fin Combo: easy to install, architectural ceilings are now in reach

AVENTOS lift systems for wall cabinets

All Austratus profiles are interchangeable and can be spaced at custom intervals, allowing you to control the exact landscape of your design.

Suitable for internal use, the Fin Combo is available in three different profile options.

843AX

architectureanddesign.com.au/PRODUCTS

AVENTOS lift systems bring ease of motion and is the ideal solution for any wall cabinet.

With AVENTOS every wall cabinet opens effortlessly, even wide and heavy, open with the utmost ease.

859AX

architectureanddesign.com.au/PRODUCTS

ASONA Acoustical Range

PUDA pre-fabricated bathroom solutions

Asona is a specialist manufacturer of acoustic decorative ceiling and wall finishes for the commercial interior market. Distributed

by USG Boral, Asona products feature Sonatex™, a composite acoustical facer used on the Triton™ range of soft fibre ceiling absorbers.

PUDA pre-fabricated bathroom solutions are engineered for people who believe that the world of construction must change for a sustainable future.

They are intended to suit any high volumetric construction and building type.

837AX

architectureanddesign.com.au/PRODUCTS

840AX

architectureanddesign.com.au/PRODUCTS

Sigma stylish concealed cistern buttons

Commercial lighting and lighting control solutions

The Sigma inwall concealed cisterns are suitable for traditional inwall installations allowing design freedom to create a lifestyle bathroom.

All Sigma buttons are compatible with Sigma concealed cisterns.

Gerard Lighting provides solutions in lighting and controls to support all the aspects in commercial projects with an extensive range of applications including offices, bathrooms and amenities, and street and parking.

839AX

architectureanddesign.com.au/PRODUCTS

ARCPANEL Smartek Panel: Combines contemporary design, high strength & durability ARCPANEL Smartek Panels combine aesthetic, innovative design, with high strength, durability, thermal insulation and have exceptional spans available for roof pitches as low as two degrees.

847AX

architectureanddesign.com.au/PRODUCTS

857AX

architectureanddesign.com.au/PRODUCTS

MetecnoKasset®: The revolutionary new insulated façade system MetecnoKasset® is an insulated system that can be used as a curtain wall system while installed from inside the building, and offers a range of improved thermal properties.

The product provides an easy to install and a more affordable alternative to tilt panels.

845AX

architectureanddesign.com.au/PRODUCTS

Celebrating Asia Pacific’s most outstanding design and architecture on the global stage.

Join us for the INDE.Awards Gala in late June, as we name the region’s top projects and designers. A game-changing awards evening not to be missed. Join us. indeawards.com

Platinum Partner

IL1802_INDE_FP_V2.indd 63

Category Partners

Launch Pad Partners

Trophy Partner

2/7/18 3:09 PM

LUXURY WALL SOLUTIONS

The new standard in architectural finishes

Premium metallics

Solid & strong

Comfortable living

Faster to complete

Sustainable products

1300 300 099 www.LuxeWall.com.au

BON0493 InfoLink BPN LuxeWall FP Ad v2.indd 1 IL1802_BONDOR_FP_AD_PG64.indd 64

13/9/17 12:51 pm 31/1/18 3:05 pm