Inside Construction June/July 2023

intelligence information Turning INTO

Procore’s Will Twomey unpacks the insights derived from its latest How We Build Now industry benchmark report for Australia and New Zealand.

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REGULAR FOCUS

14 Digitally driven

Find out how McConnell Dowell’s digital engineering team is utilising systems and technologies to deliver projects around the country.

10 Turning information into intelligence

Procore delves into its recently released How We Build Now industry benchmark report.

PROFILES

56 Katie O’Malley: driving and delivering value

Group Corporate Affairs Manager at BESIX Watpac Katie O’Malley shares how her career pivoted towards the construction industry.

58 Orlagh Brady: fuelled by growth

Orlagh Brady reveals how building furniture flatpacks at home sparked her interest in a career in construction.

OPINION

46 Working at heights – it’s not just physical

Dr. Gretchen Gagel looks at working at heights, psychological safety and mental wellbeing.

ASSOCIATIONS

48 Formwork Industry Australia (FIA)

Formwork industry takes the lead on safety – Part two.

50 National Precast Concrete Association Australia

Historic Olympic pool demands the best.

Precast education now available to all.

52 Australian Constructors Association (ACA) Summit sparks action.

54 The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC)

Parenthood in construction.

EVENTS

44 Set for success

Meet some of the sponsors, exhibitors and conference speakers supporting premier construction and infrastructure event Inside Construction Expo 2023.

18 Capture confidence

Discover how Lipman improved its project management processes with OpenSpace Capture.

22 Keeping the job moving

Blackwoods tells all about its range of inventory solutions for the commercial construction industry.

26 Employer of choice

Komatsu delves into its commitment to creating an environment that empowers its employees to grow.

30 The task automation transition

Trimble shares how its construction technologies are helping drive the industry’s move towards digitisation.

34 Build with economic efficiency

Dincel Structural Walling demonstrates how its permanent polymer formwork system addresses common constraints associated with concrete walling.

38

Creating cost clarity

Lentune explains how its software enables businesses to take full advantage of construction cost codes.

42

Eliminating guesswork

MCD Developments’ Malcolm De Wildt shares what his team has been able to achieve since adopting XWatch systems.

WELCOME From the editorial team

Let’s talk tech

market at a breakneck pace, this month we hone in on the innovations, tools and systems reshaping the way we build.

The construction industry has historically been dubbed the least digitised industry in the world. One report, the McKinsey Global Institute industry digitization index; 2015 or latest available data, stated only hunting and fishing have a worse track record than construction in the adoption of digital technologies. But that’s changing.

As the construction technology sector continues to evolve, we’re seeing more contractors and sub-contractors jumping on the digital bandwagon to improve their processes, drive productivity, better manage their projects and people, and remain competitive.

Construction businesses are adapting, and Construction 4.0 (the construction industry’s version of the Fourth Industrial Revolution –Industry 4.0) is well underway.

Technologies like artificial intelligence, building information modelling, virtual reality and data collection systems are making a huge impact to the way the construction industry operates. These technologies are making the sector safer, more efficient and more sustainable.

Construction companies are now also leveraging technologies to attract and retain talent, deliver complex and smart buildings, and forecast project outcomes.

In this month’s edition, Inside Construction showcases the companies delivering groundbreaking construction technologies, the companies harnessing technology to improve operations and the latest in technological innovation.

Discover the solutions – such as construction site capture, machine control, task automation and cost

management technologies – that can save your business time and money. Read about the construction companies that are expanding their digital engineering capabilities to deliver iconic projects and infrastructure; the technology providers gathering data to provide construction businesses the insight they need to thrive; and the associations backing the use of technology in construction to address the industry’s productivity, waste and risk management challenges.

As Australian Constructors Association CEO Jon Davies says: “We need to fundamentally change how our industry operates and we need to start now.”

We’re proud to share the stories of the companies leading the charge by innovating and adapting to push boundaries, make construction an industry of choice and deliver the beautiful and intelligent buildings and infrastructure of the future.

Also, be sure to check out the profile’s this month. We caught up with two incredibly inspiring women in the construction industry and share how they forged successful careers in the sector.

Chief Executive Officer John Murphy

Chief Operating Officer Christine Clancy

Group Managing Editor Andrew Hobbs andrew.hobbs@primecreative.com.au

Editor Ashley Grogan ashley.grogan@primecreative.com.au

Sales Director Brad Buchanan bradley.buchanan@primecreative.com.au

Art Director/Design Daz Woolley

Head of Design Blake Storey blake.storey@primecreative.com.au

Design Production Manager Michelle Weston michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au

Business Development Manager William Jenkin william.jenkin@primecreative.com.au p: +61 0478 820 221

Client Success Manager Glenn Delaney glenn.delaney@primecreative.com.au

Cover image credit Procore

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Copyright Inside Construction is owned by Prime Creative Media and published by John Murphy. All material in Inside Construction is copyright and no part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher. The Editor welcomes contributions but reserves the right to accept or reject any material. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, Prime Creative Media will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published. The opinions expressed in Inside Construction are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by the publisher unless otherwise stated.

With new construction technologies hitting the

OpenSpace

360 Reality Capture technology is powerful and easy to use, enabling builders to capture jobsites with unmatched speed and simplicity.

With OpenSpace, you can quickly and easily capture a comprehensive visual record of your construction site to verify work-in-place, simplify dispute resolution, and keep teams accountable.

OpenSpace is the global leader in reality capture and AI-powered analytics for builders with projects of all shapes and sizes, whether a quick renovation or a multi-year megaproject.

Phone:

US: +1 (855) 703-8900

Australia: +61 1800 945 147

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Support: support@openspace.ai

All other inquiries: info@openspace.ai

Executive summary

This issue at a glance

Procore Technologies (Procore) has released its annual How We Build Now industry benchmark report, a research tool to reflect on the issues impacting the construction industry at a moment in time. This year, the report unearths the current technology and industry trends connecting Australian and New Zealand (ANZ) construction in 2023.

Procore’s benchmark report, How We Build Now – Technology and Industry Trends

Connecting ANZ Construction, reflects an industry facing one of the most pivotal points in its history.

developing new capabilities to improve productivity and safety, and develop data driven initiatives. Pages 14-17.

the company’s range of end-to-end inventory solutions that can be tailored to meet specific business or project needs. Pages 22-24.

Procore Director, Solutions Consulting, APAC Will Twomey unpacks the ANZ report findings and explores how construction companies can turn this information into intelligence and insight, and data into stronger businesses. Pages 10-13.

McConnell Dowell Group’s digital engineering team is utilising a wide range of systems and technologies to deliver some of the most complex, large-scale projects around the country, such as the The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Stage 3 Redevelopment in South Australia and South Geelong to Waurn Ponds Rail Duplication in Victoria.

McConnell Dowell’s Group Engineering Services Manager Tom Gill and Senior Digital Engineering Manager Chris Theis share how the

Commercial builder Lipman recently adopted OpenSpace’s latest Reality Capture technology to accurately capture the entirety of its projects, proving incredibly useful for the construction company’s ongoing delivery of school infrastructure projects in the Central West region of New South Wales.

Lipman Project Manager Shamus Long and OpenSpace DirectorAustralia & New Zealand Milton Walters reveal how OpenSpace Capture is streamlining Lipman’s workflows by providing accurate project data.

Pages 18-20

Blackwoods is delivering a range of inventory and procurement solutions to the construction industry to help businesses tackle ongoing supply chain challenges and thin profit margins, save time and money, and improve safety and productivity onsite.

Martin Shaw, Head

of

Inventory

Komatsu Australia is committed to creating an environment that empowers employees to grow, excel and achieve their person goals.

Komatsu Australia’s Executive General Manager, People and Strategy Colin Shaw explores the company’s award-winning Apprentice Development System, fully accredited training courses and modules, new Families at Komatsu scheme and commitment to inclusion and diversity. Pages 26-27.

Trimble’s portfolio of cutting-edge construction technology is driving productivity, sustainability, next generation talent and autonomy.

Trimble’s machine control solutions in particular are changing the way construction companies operate, both in Australia and around the world.

Cameron Clark, Earthmoving Industry Director at Trimble shares

Blackwoods’ Vending solutions.

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Executive summary

how task automation is making the job of equipment operators safer and more enjoyable, and how artificial intelligence and machine learning will continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the construction industry. Pages 30-32.

Dincel ’s permanent polymer formwork system is transforming buildings around Australia by addressing common constraints associated with concrete walling. Dincel panel joints are waterproof, and the company is so confident in its waterproofing system that it’s offering up to 50 years zero leakage Waterproof System Warranties for basement walls. Burak Dincel, Inventor and Founder, Dincel Structural Walling explains how the company’s permanent polymer formwork system is a sustainable, economical, strong and durable alternative to conventional concrete walls, precast and reinforced Besser blocks. Pages 34-36.

Lentune is helping simplify the management of construction cost codes with its Project Cost Management software. By sorting all construction project costs in one place, Lentune enables businesses to take full advantage of cost codes. Lentune CEO Jono Bonifant explores how construction businesses can benefit from using smart automation technology like Lentune to effectively manage cost codes, streamline the way they handle project finances, improve business performance and drive growth. Pages 38-40.

MCD Developments is realising the benefits of the XWatch XW4 height and slew limiting system for its excavators, thanks to SmartTech Australia. MCD Developments saw swift improvements across its operations after having the technology installed by SmartTech Australia on its 14.5-tonne and 22.5-tonne excavators. Director MCD Developments Malcolm

De Wildt shares how the height and slew limitation features of XWatch are helping to protect company assets, employees and the public. Pages 42-43.

Events. Pages 44-45. Inside Construction Expo is fast approaching and a range of leading organisations from right across the construction industry are showing their support. It’s time to meet some of the sponsors, exhibitors and conference speakers set to make the expo an event to remember.

Opinion. Pages 46-47. Dr. Gretchen Gagel provides her unique view of psychologically working at heights as the construction industry strives to overcome its many challenges; and provides advice on how construction businesses can better attract, recruit and retain their people.

Associations.

Pages 48-55.

Following the recent launch of the new Safe Formworker Program, Michael Sugg, Chief Executive Officer, Formwork Industry Association delves into the association’s plans to develop a new education and skills pathway.

National Precast Concrete Association Australia (National Precast) reveals how Master Precaster Waeger Constructions manufactured and supplied precast concrete products for an iconic landmark, the North Sydney Olympic Pool Redevelopment.

National Precast’s CEO Sarah Bachmann also shares information about webinars available from the industry peak body, including silica dust management, bolted connections and payment for goods offsite.

On the back of the 2023 Future of Construction Summit, Australian Constructors Association CEO Jon Davies is calling for all construction professionals to play their part in setting industry transformation in motion.

The National Association of Women in Construction General Manager Lauren Fahey explores how supporting women during the parenthood stages of their career is vital to ensuring the

Fore Group Building Cadet Orlagh Brady shares how she has forged an impressive construction career, working in a role and industry that she truly enjoys and fosters her personal and professional growth daily.

Orlagh Brady, Building Cadet, Fore Group.

Workhorse

Turning information into intelligence

The construction industry has faced its fair share of challenges over the past few years.

Construction leaders around the world are feeling the heat of rising interest rates, supply chain disruptions, skilled labour shortages and thin profit margins as well as the surging rate of insolvencies.

To help construction businesses tackle these challenges, Procore Technologies (Procore) has released its annual How We Build Now industry benchmark report, to help shed light on the current challenges, opportunities and perspectives of construction industry leaders and the technical trends they pursue.

Procore Director, Solutions Consulting, APAC Will Twomey describes How We Build Now as a research tool to reflect on the issues impacting the industry at a moment in time.

“It serves as a temperature check of the industry; it shares insights on the mood of construction leaders at a moment in time, as well as the challenges, risks and plans for the future,” says Twomey. “At Procore, we understand the power of data.”

“But unstructured data is meaningless without insight – so we produce a market report to help construction companies turn information into intelligence and insight, and data into stronger businesses.”

Now in its fourth year, How We Build has grown in scope and sample size. This year, in partnership with independent research body YouGov, Procore surveyed more than 1,600 construction leaders across the Asia Pacific, prompting it to split the report in two – one for Australia and New Zealand (ANZ); and a separate report for Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore.

Procore canvassed 768 construction decision-makers and influencers across Australia and New Zealand to unearth the current technology and industry trends connecting ANZ construction in 2023, with some surprising results. Inside Construction sat down with Twomey to unpack the ANZ report findings.

How We Build Now report found construction industry sentiment has softened, with a 10 per cent decrease in Australia from last year. “This indicates that construction companies are now being squeezed from both sides,” says Twomey. “On the one hand, they continue to grapple with cost escalation,

skills shortages and rising interest rates; on the other hand, they are still delivering fixed-price jobs secured in the pre-pandemic halcyon days.”

“Profit margins are under extra pressure and the number of insolvencies has reached an almost decade high – all these factors play into sentiment.”

According to the report, fewer Australian construction businesses are expecting either an increase in the number of projects over the next 12 months or in their value, even though there is a record number of government commercial and infrastructure projects in the pipeline.

There are many reasons for this, says Twomey, but one of the primary reasons is that the industry is at capacity and the workbooks of most construction companies are full. Large public infrastructure projects continue at pace, while the near-record levels of insolvencies mean the pool of contractors has narrowed considerably.

Improved productivity is high on the agenda for Australian construction businesses, with 41 per cent of ANZ survey respondents identifying improved access to project information as the top strategy to improve productivity and 40 per cent thinking the same for profitability.

Twomey says construction companies understand that better access to the information they have is top of the tree – above investment in new technology, upskilling or automating. “It’s important to note that true intelligence leads to better decisions,” he says. “Before construction companies can take off down the artificial intelligence (AI) superhighway, each one needs a roadmap – a data strategy – to know where it is going and why.”

“Only 14 per cent of ANZ construction companies have implemented a data strategy and the quality of those varies depending on company maturity.”

Managing cost increases and maintaining cash flows were identified as the top two challenges facing the Australian and New Zealand construction industries, a result that Twomey says isn’t surprising and reflects the overall economic environment. “Inflationary pressures and fluctuations in material prices, rising costs of labour and energy, coupled

Making sense of data generated is a challenge for companies across the construction sector, and a new report from Procore Technologies is helping to put this in perspective.

Procore’s benchmark report, How We Build Now – Technology and Industry Trends Connecting ANZ Construction, reflects an industry facing one of the most pivotal points in its history.

requirements, have contributed to cost escalations,” says Twomey.

“Project delays as a result of unexpected disruptions – such as floods on both sides of the Tasman – are still causing extra headaches.”

“All these factors, and many more, make projects more expensive to deliver.

“In a volatile environment, construction businesses are now looking for strategies that add predictability to every project – and that

While technology can help improve the quality of construction, project visibility and reduce human error, 42 per cent of ANZ survey respondents identified improved cost management as the biggest impact of technology adoption. Yet, 41 per cent of respondents said the costs involved was the top challenge in their digital transformation journey. Procore customers are expressing that they need more help to identify and mitigate risk, says Twomey.

“Before construction companies can take off down the artificial intelligence superhighway, each one needs a roadmap – a data strategy – to know where it is going and why.”

Construction data

“They are turning to solutions that integrate financial and site data, support more accurate tendering, better forecast labour requirements, offer real-time insights into project actuals, and can monitor and maintain cash flow,” he says.“Ultimately, they need systems that ensure nothing falls through the cracks –because the cracks are currently very wide.”

The construction industry has made great strides to pick up its slack in the technology adoption department and construction leaders are jumping on the technology train. Almost half of ANZ businesses surveyed state they are looking to increase the spend on construction technologies, as a proportion of their annual budget, over the next 12 months.

Some companies are in ‘catch up’ mode, following a long era of under-investment, says Twomey, others continue to invest in largescale, multi-year technology programs –either way, more businesses want to own their data and protect their future.

Construction management platforms took the cake as the top technology to drive change in the next three years, followed by pre-fabrication/design for manufacturing and assembly. According to the report more than half (51 per cent) of ANZ respondents intend to invest in a construction management platform and Twomey says it’s easy to see why – construction management platforms tick a lot of boxes.

“They address multiple pain points, enable data-driven decision-making by capturing and analysing project data in real-time and they foster collaboration and communication among project stakeholders,” Twomey says. “Because they are scalable and user-friendly, those companies who choose to invest in construction management platforms like Procore will benefit from improved productivity, risk management and insights.”

In good news for ANZ construction industries, hours spent on rework have fallen by 25 per cent over the past 12 months, and according to survey respondents, some companies are implementing technology to track, resolve and improve rework outcomes.

“Technology is one secret among several, however,” says Twomey. “When used in harmony with quality control measures, and robust planning and design, collaborative technology platforms undoubtedly reduce rework by making it easier to communicate and spot potential clashes.”

ANZ respondents identified a number of technologies they are looking to introduce within the next five years, with next generation building information modelling (BIM) coming out on top. AI and machine learning (ML) were also high up on the list. The explosion of generative AI tools this year shows just how rapidly AI is changing the world, explains Twomey.

“Construction businesses are now looking for strategies that add predictability to every project – and that means grounding their decisions in data.”

41 per cent of ANZ respondents identify improved access to project information as the top strategy to improve productivity.

“While 44 per cent of construction companies may have ambitions to introduce AI or ML into their operations over the next five years, just 14 per cent of them have a data strategy in place, and 35 per cent aren’t even considering the implementation of one,” he says.

“Construction companies should start with a data strategy to lay a solid foundation for AI and ML.”

With only 29 per cent of ANZ companies saying they are confident they can implement a data strategy with success, according to the How We Build Now report, Twomey says they should start by defining clear objectives.

Construction companies should look at what they want to achieve through data analysis and how it aligns with their overall business strategy.

“Then, establish a robust data governance framework that ensures data integrity, privacy and security,” says Twomey.

“Invest in the necessary infrastructure and tools to collect, store, process and analyse data effectively.”

Importantly, Twomey says, to foster a culture that embraces data-driven decision making, make the starting point easy and take the team along for the ride. “A data strategy is an equally human journey at this initial point,” he adds. “It can then be an iterative approach, as you continually monitor and evaluate your progress.”

“It’s a fairly simple formula that, when executed well, builds confidence and capability.”

While technology has positioned itself ahead of the pack as a main priority for ANZ construction businesses, gender diversity, sustainability, collaboration and quality have been put on the backburner, according to How We

Build Now

Addressing issues around gender diversity, sustainability, collaboration and quality are still important to construction companies, says Twomey, but in a volatile and somewhat hostile economic climate, the primary focus has shifted to staying afloat.

“Construction companies that ride out this choppy period will continue to prioritise these issues, because they know gender diversity, sustainability and quality are pillars of a strong business,” Twomey adds.

The valuable insights derived from Procore’s How We Build Now demonstrate that although the ANZ construction industries are making headwind in some respects, such as reducing rework, significant challenges remain. As technology adoption continues to rise, construction leaders need to approach transformation with a strategic mindset and prepare for the future while navigating today’s unpredictable market – data should play a huge role.

The future of construction, says Twomey, is about unlocking the complete data journey of a project. “As the world turns to AI, getting our foundations right today will ensure success in the future,” he adds.

“Real-time insights and robust data sets will be crucial to decision making, unlock productivity, and will drive profit potential for construction companies.

“In this climate, it will be about using accurate, complete and comprehensive data to predict and mitigate risk for now and in the future.”

It’s integrated construction management platforms like Procore that will enable construction businesses to use their data effectively. It’s these platforms that bridge all data connections across all projects to help construction leaders leverage the power of real-time, data-driven decision making.

Hours spent on rework have fallen by 25 per cent over the past 12 months as companies implement technology to track quality.

“When used in harmony with quality control measures, and robust planning and design, collaborative technology platforms undoubtedly reduce rework by making it easier to communicate and spot potential clashes.”

Digitally driven

The digital transformation of the construction industry is moving full steam ahead and McConnell Dowell’s digital engineering team is keeping pace, utilising a wide range of systems and technologies to deliver some of the most complex, large-scale projects around the country.

The fast-growing development of new construction technologies is changing the way the industry builds in terms of speed, efficiency and safety. As the release of artificial intelligence (AI), building information modelling (BIM) and automated data collection technologies heightens, McConnell Dowell’s digital engineering (DE) team is at the front line, leveraging new techniques, systems and technologies to take its operations to the next level.

Tom Gill is the Group Engineering Services Manager at McConnell Dowell and oversees the company’s temporary works design and digital engineering capability. Joining the McConnell Dowell Group in 2008, he says the company’s DE capabilities have grown exponentially. “McConnell Dowell’s DE team has always been a driving force in adopting technologies that help us to deliver the best possible outcome for our clients,” says Gill. “Digital engineering for us continues to broaden in scope.”

“DE has evolved from being very BIM centric, and today there’s a myriad of tools that are available to us that we’re either using or developing capability (for) – our approach today is much more progressive.”

The construction industry continues to become more digitally enabled and companies in the sector are realising that without a strong, competent DE capability, they will fall behind.

The complexities of construction and infrastructure projects are also on the rise, and with them the need for advanced and innovative solutions.

In March 2020 the Victorian Government released the Victorian Digital Asset Strategy (VDAS) along with the VDAS Guidance document in an effort to lead a consistent and modern approach to digital engineering and BIM, and to standardise technology adoption in major capital and renewal projects. Similarly, in Southeast Asia digital transformation has accelerated in many government agencies. For instance, McConnell Dowell’s client, the Land Transport Authority of Singapore has launched its Land Transport Master Plan 2040 that focuses on connected systems, autonomous and ondemand services, new technologies and the innovative design of local infrastructure. Government clients worldwide are increasingly including complex and detailed design specifications that can’t be outsourced, explains Gill.

“The digital capability to deliver these projects needs to be embedded into how you do business, and that’s where I believe our DE team’s core direction is heading,” says Gill.

“We have the ability to lead the charge in those complex markets, due to our open-minded and forward-thinking approach to DE.”

Also in the engineering services team, Chris Theis, Senior Digital Engineering Manager at McConnell Dowell, works to develop the company’s DE standards, and repeatability and consistency in the way its teams implement DE on projects.

He says to keep pace with the industry, or outpace where possible, McConnell Dowell is ramping up its digital capability.

Group Engineering Services Manager at McConnell Dowell.

A construction simulator developed using a gaming engine for a marine project in Tonga.

“We’re a group that utilises and develops technology to seek efficiencies and advancements to something that’s been done the same way for hundreds of years – and it’s not incremental change either,” says Theis. “If you look at the possibilities in construction today versus what was done 100 years ago without technology, it’s chalk and cheese.”

“DE is a technology driven process but with that said, we need to take an approach to DE where we are technology agnostic to some degree.

“We can’t put all of our eggs in one technology basket, because technology comes and goes, evolves and changes, so we think strategically about the tools we use.”

McConnell Dowell’s DE team has used DE widely across various projects and is on track to define the minimum DE standard on every single project McConnell Dowell Group delivers.

One project currently underway that is digitally enabled is The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (TQEH) Stage 3 Redevelopment in South Australia. Built Environs, the building business unit of McConnell Dowell, is delivering the project with all the key design and construct (D&C) trades and modelling hosted on a web-based common data environment. This provides the project team the visibility of a live, in progress virtual model of the entire project.

“We can see at any point in time how the design and trade models are progressing,” says Theis. “The model is the first point of call for the project team.”

“All members of the team have access to this; they don’t need fancy software, they don’t need to know how to use complicated BIM tools, it’s all available on an iPad or through a web browser – an example of the increasing accessibility and transparency of DE information.”

Throughout the project, the model is being used to improve coordination, says Theis, and ensures materials are installed right the first time, eliminating the costs and additional time associated with rework.

“This approach protects the project program,” says Theis.

“It allows us to identify elements of technical and safety risk in a centralised, model-based environment.

“The TQEH Stage 3 Redevelopment is a good example of our DE team utilising technology to take a very organised approach to a project, and we’re getting consistent usage of that project data.”

Further, McConnell Dowell’s Tom Gill says a highlight for him is seeing how enabled the whole of industry is on the hospital project. He says the subcontractors who are not traditionally proficient in DE have come a long way in the last 10 years.

“To an extent, subcontractors are leading the charge under our guidance and coordination,” Gill says. “It’s refreshing to see that it’s not just the main contractors or the clients who are pushing the digital agenda, subcontractors are jumping on board.”

It’s not just the odd project that McConnell Dowell Group is delivering with these technologies. The company has entrenched technology across its operations and continues to evolve its capabilities in the digital space, placing itself in a dynamic position where every project it starts is set to be an improvement on the last.

This is evident in McConnell Dowell’s delivery of the South Geelong to Waurn Ponds Rail Duplication in Victoria. The project includes elevated rail bridges for level crossing removals, around eight kilometres of track duplication and signalling upgrades, as well as new station buildings at Marshall and South Geelong with forecourts, second platforms and accessible pedestrian overpasses.

McConnell Dowell.

“We have the ability to lead the charge in those complex markets, due to our openminded and forward-thinking approach to DE.”

Trimble SiteVision used to project underground utility models over ground surfaces.

Coordinated plant room model for the TQEH Project.

FOCUS

Digital engineering

set up and well managed, digitally-enabled infrastructure job.

“The team, together with Alliance partners, has worked to develop a data rich model,” says Gill. “This has then set them up with a solid base to start plugging in some more innovative tools into the project’s digital ecosystem.”

“They’re also leveraging a well-developed geographic information system (GIS) to report and present the utility arrangements to all members of the project, not just those who have access to the 3D modelling.

“Working around utilities is always a high risk on our projects, and to have a tool that allows someone in an excavator to open up a webbased photo mapped utilities arrangement, so they know exactly what to expect when they are digging, strengthens safety onsite.”

McConnell Dowell has also adopted Trimble SiteVision, explains Gill, an outdoor augmented reality system. This allows site teams to visualise the utilities below the ground through a model overlay on their smartphone camera, before and anytime during the works – to survey accuracy.

McConnell Dowell’s DE team embraces the opportunity to do things better. With a flood of technologies on the market, the team will assess a new tool before incorporating it into its ecosystem. “If the value add is there, then we will put the tool to use on a particular project,” says Gill. “We’re now reviewing the various tools being used across our projects to identify the value in adopting them on every project going forward.”

The company’s Senior Digital Engineering Manager, Chris Theis agrees. He says the team is not in a situation where it is implementing technology just for the sake of it.

“There’s a dangerous potential to fall into a trap of adopting every technology thrown our

than we can realistically deploy,” says Theis. “There is an expectation in our business that any new tool that we implement has to be solving a problem, providing an efficiency and bringing something new to the table.”

Currently, McConnell Dowell’s DE team is developing capabilities in the more immersive technologies. In particular, the team is exploring the use of gaming engines to produce a digital visualisation of a project, which Tom Gill says is a far more powerful environment in which to visualise a model than traditional technologies or methods.

“The use of gaming engines in the construction space introduces a whole new capability around animations and is far more interactive than anything we’ve seen before,” says Gill. “We’re also developing AI applications that can simulate the world around us so we’re not just building a nicelooking environment and walking through it.”

“We’re developing environments that can interact with the user in the interface, and that digital environment can include anything from construction vehicles, rail lines, plant and equipment to pedestrians and construction workers.

“The long-term goal of developing capability around this technology is for us to be able to deliver immersive safety training and construction tools that can accurately replicate a construction site or methodology sequence that can then be interrogated allowing risks to be identified and mitigated.

“You can even have virtual incidents occur and resolve them in the virtual world before you then step out and try it for the first time onsite.”

Chris Theis explains that this technology currently has a very specific scope to it but has huge potential to be rolled out across the business in the future. The DE team can

Coordinated services model on the TQEH Project.

“McConnell Dowell’s DE team has always been a driving force in adopting technologies that help us to deliver the best possible outcome for our clients.”

basically build any functionality it needs within the gaming engine and requires little coding to do so.

“The low code environment means we don’t need a team of software developers to do this stuff,” says Theis. “While these engines use a lot of visual programming techniques, you can build a fair bit of functionality rapidly with minimal coding input.”

As for the future of McConnell Dowell’s DE capabilities, Tom Gill says the sky is the limit.

“The granularity of information that we will be able to extract from digital models in the near future will be far beyond what we’re doing today,” he says. “We’re already seeing some clients talk about the delivery of not just the physical, but also the digital asset and as a contractor, we’re committed to delivering on those expectations.”

BIM, AI and gaming engines are just the beginning for McConnell Dowell’s DE team.

Utility models using GIS to overlay on photo-capture surfaces.

Jobsite capture

Capture confidence

OpenSpace’s latest Reality Capture technology gave Lipman a new-found confidence in accurately capturing the entirety of its projects, an invaluable asset for the construction company’s ongoing delivery of school infrastructure projects in the Central West region of New South Wales.

Customer profile

Australian privately owned family business Lipman is a commercial builder located in Sydney, NSW that has delivered a diverse range of commercial, educational and industrial buildings across the state.

Business challenge

Find new strategies, systems and technologies that optimise the Lipman team and make daily functions more efficient.

Solution

OpenSpace Capture. Benefits

• Fast and efficient capturing of the build process.

• Increased capture confidence.

• Guaranteed accurate data.

• Instant and complete documentation.

• Reduced risk.

• Streamlined workflows.

With more than 55 years in the construction game, commercial builder Lipman has delivered an abundance of iconic projects across New South Wales, including Sydney’s Raging Waters water park and the Macquarie University Arts Precinct. The company has a passion for construction excellence and harnesses the latest innovations, materials and design to ensure the success of its projects – a passion that led to its partnership with construction technology solutions provider OpenSpace.

In 2022, Lipman’s IT Manager identified the potential for improved project management by utilising OpenSpace Capture, an automated site capture system that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to provide a live, as-built record of a construction site.

Shortly after, Lipman commenced live trials of OpenSpace Capture on its remote

$29 million Central West Schools project for NSW School Infrastructure. Led by Lipman Project Manager Shamus Long, the project included the construction of new teaching spaces and refurbishment of existing facilities at Bletchington Public School in Orange and Millthorpe Public School in Millthorpe, New South Wales.

OpenSpace’s 360 Reality Capture technology quickly and easily captures a comprehensive visual record of a construction site to verify work-in-place, simplify dispute resolution, and keep teams accountable. Its AI-powered computer vision and analytics tools give construction teams the visibility and insights they need with the power to compare building information modelling to as-built, automatically track progress, and stay on schedule. OpenSpace’s powerful integrations and Field Notes feature helps businesses

With OpenSpace, the operator can simply tap record and go.

streamline workflows to enable better communication, smarter resource allocation, and faster decisions. Fundamentally, OpenSpace enables the operator to fully document the project site for an up-to-date, collaborative record of the building from preconstruction to handover and operation.

As a Project Manager, Long says he’s always looking for new ways to improve team optimisation and the efficiency of daily functions. “Historically we captured the build process by going around the project site and manually taking photos,” Long explains. “It was up to our visual supervisors and administrative staff to manually guide onsite photography and its various elements which was a good and robust process.”

“However, if we needed to look back at historical project data, we’d often find the photos would be poor or not taken at the right angle.”

Working closely with Long, OpenSpace Director - Australia & New Zealand Milton Walters was keen to showcase the capabilities of OpenSpace Capture in a live project environment.

With over a decade of experience in senior roles in the construction technology space, including as Chief Executive Officer at HammerTech and Vice President Marketing APAC at Procore Technologies, Walters says he joined OpenSpace because he hadn’t seen anything like its technology before.

“I was absolutely blown away by OpenSpace and still am to this day,” says Walters. “When I was approached by Lipman, I knew our technology would transform the way it manages its projects.”

As it happens, the trials were a complete success. Long says OpenSpace Capture provided better coverage of the build process, streamlined the capture of project progress, enabled the easy identification of possible defects and gave the Lipman project team the confidence of guaranteed accurate data. As well as the team onsite, those back in Lipman’s head office could view the live captures and insights generated from the built-in AI.

“From the very start of the Central West Schools project, the value of OpenSpace really came to the fore,” says Long.

“We’ve now successfully delivered both schools which have been operational for over four months.”

OpenSpace provides a simple and fast 360 jobsite capture and virtual review.

More than 100,000 users in 93 countries rely on OpenSpace to get the job done on time and on budget, every time.

“From the very start of the Central West Schools project, the value of OpenSpace really came to the fore.”

FOCUS

Jobsite capture

Lipman delivered a new two-storey learning hub including ten new flexible learning spaces, a hall upgrade, a new ICT special programs unit, refurbishment of existing learning spaces, replacement of the covered outdoor learning area and upgraded walkways at Bletchington Public School.

At Millthorpe Public School, Lipman delivered a new two-storey learning hub including 10 flexible learning spaces, a new library and additional practical activity areas, the renovation of the existing administration area and a new staff room, and the renovation of Heritage Block B with new covered outdoor areas and walkways.

Long says the historical snapshot of project progress captured by OpenSpace proved incredibly useful when the client came back and asked Lipman to install several large artworks on one of the newly constructed walls. He knew there was hydraulic services behind that particular wall and if they drilled through and perforated one of the pipes it could cause a flood.

But with OpenSpace, says Long, the project team was able to go back and look at the captures behind the wall with supreme confidence.

“If we drilled through without that information and cracked a pipe, it could have flooded and caused damage to the entire

ground floor and of course the wall would have had to be replaced,” explains Long. “It’s hard to put a value on the level of confidence it has provided us.”

“OpenSpace has optimised a task that historically was met with satisfaction, but now is ironclad.”

Further impressing Long and the Lipman team was the onboarding process. Typically, when a construction company thinks about adopting a new technology solution, it has to consider the sometimes-lengthy onboarding process that comes with it. In the case of OpenSpace, onboarding takes merely an hour. After the one-hour boarding session, Long says it was plug-and-play. “It was a very straightforward process,” he adds.

Following the success of the OpenSpace trials on the Central West Schools project, Lipman has now adopted the software across various other projects. OpenSpace’s Milton Walters says he will continue to foster the relationship between OpenSpace and Lipman, with hopes of seeing the use of OpenSpace technology across the business in the near future.

Optimising efficiency is becoming ever important in the rapidly changing world of construction, and Lipman’s adoption of OpenSpace is a clear example of the role technology will continue to play in improving business performance.

“I don’t think people really understand the depth and breadth of how difficult it has been across the construction industry over the last 12 months,” says Walters. “The number of insolvencies is extraordinary and it’s not just the small family subcontractors going under, it’s also the large commercial and residential contractors.”

“To address this continued uncertainty around business security, saving time and money and reducing risk is vital – and that’s exactly what we do.

“Whether I was a subcontractor, builder, owner or work consultant, I could see a way of using OpenSpace to enable my efficiency levels to be increased dramatically.”

Lipman joins a portfolio of leading industry names, such as BESIX Watpac, Mirvac and ADCO, harnessing OpenSpace to optimise efficiency and successfully deliver the buildings and infrastructure of Australia.

“Whether

I was a subcontractor, builder, owner or work consultant, I could see a way of using OpenSpace to enable my efficiency levels to be increased dramatically.”

Remotely manage and track jobsite progress with OpenSpace.

OpenSpace provides next-generation reality capture software, powerful integrations and smart analytics tools.

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We’ve even put our money where our mouth is by offering up to 50 years warranty on the basement walls.

For more information scan the QR Code above or contact Dincel on 1300 DINCEL.

Keeping the job moving

Running out of equipment, tools or stock on a construction site can be costly and even dangerous. That’s why Blackwoods continues to refine its inventory solutions to allow its customers to focus on what they do best – getting the job done safely and efficiently.

Built on a foundation of innovation and meeting the needs of its customers, Blackwoods has been delivering inventory and procurement solutions to the construction industry for decades.

With many construction companies facing supply chain challenges and thin profit margins, Blackwoods understands that the efficient management of inventory, from equipment to materials, is vital. The company’s solutions streamline its customer’s procurement and inventory processes, saving them time and money, and improving safety and productivity onsite.

Martin Shaw has been with the company for almost 10 years in a number of roles. Now heading up the inventory solutions team, he says Blackwoods has positioned itself as a specialist inventory partner for construction companies nationwide.

“We pride ourselves on providing tailored inventory and procurement solutions to meet your specific business or project needs,” says Shaw. “Our current solutions are defined into four categories – vending, vendor managed inventory (VMI), shutdown and onsite services.”

Vending

The company’s vending solutions are based on the classic vending machine model. Blackwoods delivers vending machines to the customer’s business or project site stocked with anything from tools to safety equipment, providing 24/7 uninterrupted access to critical products. Employees can then simply scan their badges to get what they need when they need it, via a customised dispensing solution located at the worksite. These machines can also include locker systems for high-value

Blackwoods’ Vending solutions.

items like safety harnesses or returnable items such as expensive tooling. Shaw says it’s also beneficial to the customer from a compliance point of view, as they can track who’s accessing the machine, what they’re using from it and when.

“It’s a very detailed solution that the customer can have onsite at certain points of access or key places,” he says. “On a road project for example, the customer can have vending solutions staggered along the road, so people don’t have to walk great distances to access the materials they need.”

Vendor managed inventory

For larger projects and business needs, Blackwoods delivers a vendor managed inventory solution. Utilising its assets or its customer’s existing assets, Blackwoods sends a team to the business or project site to set up a product catalogue and provide ongoing management of product numbers, maintenance, put away and ordering. “Essentially, we can deliver a container of product, or we can utilise a customer’s existing onsite asset,” says Shaw. “In the commercial construction industry, this could be a container of items like fasteners, concrete sandbags, pickets or any other product – we can tailor the VMI environment to hold all necessary materials.”

Customers who invest in vendor managed inventory get the full support of a Blackwoods Account Manager and Product Specialist, plus access to its CM mobile app that tracks inventory movements and can be used in a point-of-sale distribution. For example, individual barcodes or QR codes can be printed for each end-user to stick on their hardhat, they can then head to their onsite Blackwoods representative who can scan the code, find the product needed and allocate that item to that person.

Shutdown solutions

While shutdowns are a necessary evil, they’re often complex and expensive if not managed well. Blackwoods provides essential shutdown services to projects in construction, mining, power generation, oil and gas and infrastructure to ensure the process is streamlined, cost effective and time efficient.

“We offer a fully staffed, 24/7 onsite store for

those jobs,” says Shaw. “Our dedicated team will set up an onsite store and supporting infrastructure – such as bulk dry store containers, dangerous goods and custombuilt mobile warehouses – and handle sourcing, distribution, management of consignment stock and reporting using the latest technology.”

Onsite services

The fourth solution Blackwoods offers in the inventory and procurement space is onsite services, which is a combination of inventory and procurement solutions as well as further support such as labour hire.

Blackwoods team members specialise in supply chain management and leverage scale, supplier consolidation, product rationalisation and increased automation to reduce the customer’s total cost of ownership.

The customer also receives customised reporting, so they have full control over their business spend.

“We recently tendered a road project in Queensland to provide a shop onsite, two 40-foot containers, as well as a Blackwoods team to run and maintain the store,” says Shaw. “Anyone onsite will be able to purchase from the shop, and it will have a whole range of products that have been predetermined as ideal for their construction site.”

Shaw says this solution is ideal for things like tunnelling, road or large commercial construction projects. “They’re also very popular around the construction of a large asset such as a coal-fired power station or hydropower station,” he adds.

Your specialist inventory partner

To determine the best solution for the customer, Blackwoods ascertains exactly what the project requirements are and develops a proposal that details pre-project, during project and post-project needs.

Once Blackwoods is awarded the role, it then determines the product assortment by completing a product profile on both the breadth and range of the volumes that may be required for the job.

“We then package that information up into a solution to put onsite for the customer,” says Shaw. “Depending on the site requirements, we also make a recommendation to either use

“We pride ourselves on providing tailored inventory and procurement solutions to meet your specific business or project needs.”

Inventory and procurement

“Our current solutions are defined into four categories – vending, vendor managed inventory (VMI), shutdown and onsite services.”

its team which can transact out of the store, service any customer onsite, manage the inventory with reordering and do specific ad hoc procurement when needed. Blackwoods team members are trained and have the ability to order any products outside of the stock model.

Further, Blackwoods provides detailed daily usage and budget consumption reporting back to the customer through one central software system.

At the end of the project or contract, Blackwoods simply packs up and takes everything away. “This means there’s no residual inventories for the customer to worry about,” says Shaw. “They’ve paid for what they’ve used throughout the project.”

There are a host of benefits to Blackwoods’ specialised inventory solutions, but Shaw says the main focus is to manage the customer’s inventory to allow them to get on with doing what they do best. Blackwoods draws upon a wide range of product supply bases across national geography to provide a range of safe solutions that can be tailored to each customer and ensures those products are onsite, fully stocked and ready to go.

In Queensland for example, Blackwoods is providing its inventory management services to assist in the shutdown of a large manufacturing and production facility.

and two smaller stores to provide the site with a full range of products appropriate to each of the different types of work being undertaken throughout the project.

Shaw says Blackwoods is also providing daily reporting back to the customer throughout the lifecycle of the project so that they know exactly where they are tracking with regard to labour, product usage and budget. “We also have a procurement solution onsite,” says Shaw.

“The customer can order anything they want outside of the agreed basket of products that we’re supplying – we will then collaborate with the local Blackwoods branch to provide a solution.”

“We provide the customer an end-to-end solution to ensure we can deliver anything the customer requires for the project.

“This fail-safe approach gives the customer the peace of mind to get on with delivering the project at hand – a six-month long shutdown which is critical to their business as everyday they’re down longer than planned can cost millions of dollars in lost production and costs.”

Blackwoods customers no longer have to worry about the pressures of running out of product or sourcing materials last minute –they have a specialist inventory partner that does the job for them.

Blackwoods’ Vendor managed inventory solutions (VMI).

Recruitment and talent

Employer of choice

In a tight job market employers are looking for ways to stand out and attract the best candidates, but what makes a true employer of choice? Komatsu’s Colin Shaw says it starts with getting recruitment right, but it goes much further.

Komatsu Australia has won a number of awards for its human resources focus and the positive experiences its people enjoy at work. Most recently, it was named in the 2023 AFR BOSS Best Places to Work List.

Komatsu Australia’s Executive General Manager, People and Strategy Colin Shaw says the company is proud to be recognised for its commitment to creating an environment that empowers employees to grow, excel and achieve their goals. “We truly believe that a supportive and positive work environment is critical to our success,” says Shaw.

He believes people will join a company for a job that pays well, offers good conditions, and offers opportunities to learn new skills. But the best employers want to do more than just get people through the door.

“We want our people to feel valued, to see real rewards for their commitment and to be able to achieve their goals both in and outside of work,” he says. “We want people to feel like they can bring their whole selves to work.”

“We’ve put a strong focus on what really makes for a good workplace from the basic elements like offering great facilities to addressing some of the less visible challenges like creating career pathways for women and other underrepresented groups, giving our people time to do the things that matter to them, and walking our talk on topics like flexible working, bullying, and all the other things that can make the difference between a great day at work and one that is not so great.”

Getting it right, right from the start Komatsu’s award-winning Apprentice Development System has revolutionised the way apprentices and trainees are trained and developed in the industry. It has earned widespread recognition, including receiving Silver for Large Employer of the Year and Silver for Employing Australian Apprentices at the National Training Awards in 2022.

The way our system is designed means that by the time Komatsu Australia’s apprentices complete the program, they’ve achieved a competency level that would take about another year of experience for apprentices trained in conventional programs,” Shaw says. “It really supercharges our apprentices’ careers and helps them reach their potential.”

The apprentice program is managed through

the Komatsu Training Academy, which has two state-of-the-art, purpose-built education centres located in Brisbane and Perth, giving the company a strong presence on both the east and west coast.

“Our facilities offer a highly interactive and technologically advanced learning environment, and our workshop labs are specifically designed to deliver hands-on training for both construction and mining class machines, ensuring that students gain practical skills and experience,” says Shaw.

“Our training facilities also incorporate a number of simulators, so trainees can safely learn on a range of machines from small utility machines, right up to an ultra-class heavy excavator.”

The company currently has over 300 apprentices in training on the west coast and more than 200 on the east coast, with plans to build the total to over 600 in the coming year.

Almost half of the current WA apprentices are women and Komatsu selects apprentices based on potential, not age – a few years back the company had a 47-year-old apprentice and in the current intake there are apprentices in their 30’s.

“Flexibility for us isn’t just about how you structure a workday, it’s about how you think about what makes a good apprentice, or a good mechanic, or any other role,” Shaw says.

Komatsu also recognises the importance of equipping apprentices with important life skills, such as mental health awareness, public speaking, road safety and fatigue management, drug and alcohol awareness and a variety of business skillsets.

Training never ends

The Komatsu Training Academy gives apprentices an incredible start to their careers, but it also supports continued training and upskilling for its people at every level.

“A big focus of the academy is upskilling people in their current roles, whether that be in leadership and management, or customised technical training,” says Shaw. “We offer a mix of fully accredited courses and modules, along with purpose-designed operator, technical and management training.”

“Both our training academies are backed by expertly skilled trainers aimed at building the workforce of the future.”

“We want our people to feel truly valued, to see real rewards for their commitment and to be able to achieve their goals both in and outside of work.”

A lot of Komatsu’s training and courses focus on autonomous methods or using technology like Komatsu’s Smart Construction offering, Shaw says. “The technology they’re learning about will ultimately help operators become more precise and accurate, and lead to better productivity onsite,” he adds.

Komatsu Australia recently doubled its annual training investment to $12 million in order to drive greater impact for apprentices, industry and the economy.

Families at Komatsu Shaw says recognising that people have responsibilities outside of work is also key.

“We understand the impact that happy and healthy families have on our people, and our community,” Shaw says. “If we can make it easier for our people to balance working with having children and raising their families, then of course we should.”

“It means our people are happier and it means we’re able to keep those incredible employees who might otherwise feel they need to step out of the workforce to pursue their personal goals – it’s a win-win.”

The new Families at Komatsu replaces the company’s paid parental leave scheme and is a much broader program designed to provide benefits and support to all types of families, so everyone can thrive in the business’s inclusive culture. Key elements of the program include 16 weeks of paid leave for the primary carer of a new baby, plus four weeks of bonding leave for the secondary carer; plus, special paid leave for employees who experience miscarriage or stillbirth.

There is also a structured return to work program to make it easier to come back into a role, and ongoing access to flexible work arrangements.

Inclusive means everyone, every day Komatsu is putting diversity and inclusion on the agenda. It has won a range of awards for its training programs and for its Say Again? program to address casual workplace sexism.

“We are always looking for opportunities to highlight the benefits diversity can bring to our organisation and address the barriers that may hold us back,” Shaw says.

“We’re doing very well in our entry level roles, with goals of 30-50 per cent women,

compared with an industry benchmark which is less than a third of that.”

“We’re also making inroads on increasing female representation further up the corporate ladder, by thinking more openly about what the key skills are in some of our leadership roles, to enable us to recruit from a wider pool of applicants.

“That means, for instance, that we don’t just look to people with a technical background – which typically means men in our industry – for roles where the key skills are around communication.”

Further, Komatsu has partnered with the Western Sydney Wanderers women’s football team as part of its diversity and inclusion program. “The strategies that the Wanderers are implementing echo our business strategies here at Komatsu,” explains Shaw. “We are both focused on creating an environment that offers equality and opportunities for women because we understand and know the unique value they can bring our workforce and teams.”

Goals aren’t always about work Komatsu supports its people to do the things that matter to them, through initiatives like the Live Your Dream program which provides $10,000 grants for employees to support a not-for-profit organisation or charity of their choice. The program, says Shaw, is one Komatsu is proud to deliver for its employees. “This initiative helps our people to support the causes they care about,” says Shaw. “It gives them an opportunity to do something special that they normally don’t have the provisions to do outside of work.”

To find out more about Komatsu and its career opportunities available, visit www.komatsu.com.au/careers

“We understand the impact that happy and healthy families have on our people, and our community.”

Komatsu’s awardwinning Apprentice Development System has revolutionised the way apprentices and trainees are trained and developed in the industry.

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The task automation transition

Trimble is fostering the construction industry’s pivot towards digitisation by driving productivity, sustainability, next generation talent and autonomy with its portfolio of cuttingedge construction technology.

The construction industry is fast becoming a technology-rich environment. Data collection, machine control systems, building information modelling, artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality are now terms used widely by all facets of the sector, though the technology transition has been a longwinded and incremental process. Technology providers like Trimble have been fundamental in steering the construction industry in the right direction.

The emerging digital ecosystem is a hotbed of opportunity for owners and construction professionals alike. Many technology-enabled solutions in the construction space today – and likely for the near future – are largely focused on task automation or the use of technology to automate routine tasks such as digging trenches or compacting surfaces.

Cameron Clark has worked at Trimble for 23 years from both its New Zealand and US offices. As the company’s Earthmoving Industry Director, he is responsible for Trimble’s machine control solutions for all contractors in the earthmoving industry, including the Trimble Earthworks line of machine control systems for dozers, excavators, motor graders and compaction, as well as for compact equipment including skid steers, mini excavators and track loaders.

Automation is already changing the way construction companies operate by making it easier to do more work with fewer people, he says, and by making the job of equipment operators safer and more enjoyable.

“Today, we are automating tasks like steering a soil compactor, or positioning the blade or bucket of an excavator according to plan, both of which make it much easier for an operator to complete this work faster, easier and with greater accuracy,” says Clark. “It also makes it easier to find workers for these jobs because contractors can now hire people with less experience and still get the results they would traditionally have needed a more experienced operator for.”

In its 2022 Future of Building report, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers calls the pathway towards autonomous machinery and the move to ‘situational automation’ one of the top 10 key trends that could “dramatically change the way construction companies operate in North America” over the next 10 years.

Already, automated operations help contractors greatly improve productivity, manage labour shortages, use materials more efficiently and deliver higher quality, more sustainable projects. For future-looking pioneers looking for transformative results, automation is the foundation for future autonomous jobsites. Task automation, says Clark, along with connectivity and the real-time data exchange between different systems, is an essential piece of the construction’s Industry 4.0 evolution – and the industry is rife with impressive examples.

“The road to autonomy is long and winding,” says Clark. “At Trimble we are ultimately focused on connecting and automating entire construction workflows – including gathering important data from the jobsite and seamlessly sharing information back and forth between the field and the office.”

“We believe this is where construction companies will really benefit in terms of better, faster and more accurate bidding, resource management, and overall decision-making.”

The one-to-many shift

One of the most prevalent examples of task automation in today’s environment is automated machine control. Introduced over 20 years ago, these systems are a familiar tool on jobsites around the world, facilitating the automatic control of blades and buckets with 3D models and global navigation satellite systems (GNSS). Ahead of its time, Trimble’s

“At Trimble we are ultimately focused on connecting and automating entire construction workflows.”

In a recent report, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers named autonomous machinery and the move to “situational automation” as one of the top 10 key trends that could change the way construction companies operate over the next 10 years.

journey towards autonomy spans decades. Its automated machine control technologies have helped countless contractors realise double digit improvements in productivity and gain almost immediate value.

The increased adoption of automation technologies has led to manufacturers working more closely with technology providers like Trimble to equip machines with the technology directly from the factory.

But machine control is one small piece of the task automation puzzle, and manufacturers and technology firms are expanding those boundaries every day. For instance, Trimble’s horizontal steering control system for soil compactors is able to perform repetitive functions of multiple passes over a project with greater accuracy than a human operator, while giving the operator override control.

“The convergence of key technologies is enabling the industry to accelerate towards both automating tasks and, perhaps more importantly, optimising the site management and machine workgroups,” says Clark.

At its user conference, Trimble demonstrated an autonomous Link-Belt 220 excavator, a remote-controlled Komatsu D51PX bulldozer and an autonomous Dynapac CA2500 compactor – all working in unison to execute a project. The excavator travelled to a designated spot and dug a trench. Nearby, an operator remotely operated a semiautonomous bulldozer to automate the blade, keep it at the desired elevation and steer the machine. Finally, a fully autonomous compactor was sent a “mission plan” with boundary lines and the optimum compaction level which, using its path planning software, created an optimal methodology to complete the task as efficiently as possible. Also, all of the equipment was equipped with safety sensors to stop if an obstacle enters its work path.

Although these emerging technology solutions show great promise for the future, says Clark, making them jobsite-ready and bringing them into the mainstream will require some additional work.

Interpreting the way forward

While much of the task automation focus in recent years has been on relatively straightforward activities that require human oversight and direction, the next level of task

automated solutions will be considerably smarter, thanks to advanced perception solutions, communication systems, edge computing and path planning.

These automated systems will be more robust, more flexible and smarter, says Clark, so as to handle different situations, to conceptualise patterns and processes and ‘learn’ behaviours such as avoiding obstacles that humans do automatically.

AI and machine learning are integral pieces of this progression.

AI allows for the perception of the environment the machines operate in, which will play a role in optimisation of the site, for example making recommendations about task sequencing.

Contractors will be able to optimise various site operations, says Clark, from equipment selection to material logistic, in ways yet to be considered.

Right now, for example, the Spot quadrupedal robot that Trimble and Boston Dynamics equipped with scanning capabilities for data capture on construction sites is taught by a human how to navigate safely through a site when operating autonomously.

“Someday, Spot will be taught a safe path through a site management solution – and eventually, entirely on its own with just a mission plan,” says Clark.

“To achieve that goal, however, the industry must turn real-time data into real-time information to optimise and coordinate the workgroups of machines and the site, which goes well beyond task-based point solutions.”

AI will play a key role in being able to transform vast amounts of data into information and insights for contractors, says Clark, including better predicting, bidding and estimating the costs of new jobs based on previous jobs.

“Another example is how AI can help drive simulations scenarios to keep your job on track with unplanned events,” explains Clark.

“The convergence of key technologies is enabling the industry to accelerate towards both automating tasks and, perhaps more importantly, optimising the site management and machine workgroups.”

Automating tasks like soil compactor steering makes it easier to do more work with fewer people.

FOCUS

Task automation

“We all know the dynamic nature of construction – AI can be used here to help provide insights and recommendations to contractors to get back on track or stay on track.”

For instance, Trimble currently uses AI in the scalable processing of point clouds to understand the semantic contents of scans of things like roads, buildings and beams.

The industry can reduce workforce challenges by increasing the degree of task automation on a jobsite. “It’s just a matter of putting more intelligence into solutions to further optimise project delivery and productivity,” says Clark. “In fact, task automation could be a workforce shortage equaliser, as it not only reduces the labour requirements on a job but reshapes the perception of the construction industry beyond boots and hardhats to one that invites digital creativity.”

There was a time when people worried that robotics, autonomy and other technologies posed a risk to jobs, says Clark, but those days are long gone. “The fact is that today, there are more construction jobs than people to do the work, and contractors are looking for ways to do more work with fewer people,” he says. “Without a doubt, technology is also opening up new jobs and opportunities for the next generation of talent, most of whom grew up using technology.”

“For younger workers, learning construction technology and finding ways to expand the use of it are second nature, which is already leading to career opportunities and growth for many of the customers we work with.”

Automated edge

While it may seem obvious to many, moving to task oriented and semi-autonomous solutions can have a direct improvement on productivity – and sustainability. The construction ecosystem is directly or indirectly responsible for almost 40 per cent of global carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from fuel combustion and 25 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions overall, many hundreds of million tonnes of waste, and 14.5 per cent of particulate matter in big cities, according to the McKinsey & Company report Call for Action: Seizing the Decarbonization Opportunity in Construction.

Task automation, says Clark, can significantly improve these numbers. “We have known anecdotally that our automation solutions improve sustainability by increasing operator efficiency and productivity, and by decreasing rework that leads to wasted material, fuel and other resources,” he says. Recently, Trimble embarked on a field test to quantify the sustainability gains of task automation, starting with the Horizontal Steering Control functionality for the Trimble Earthworks Grade Control Platform for Soil Compactors. Trimble scientifically compared fuel use, time spent and overall carbon reduction benefits that can be realised using automated solutions.

The cumulative results of all trials (20 automated/20 manual) found that the use of assisted steering compared to manual steering led to a threefold savings: average time reduction of 43.8 minutes (29.4 per cent), average reduction of fuel consumption of 1.65 gallons (26.46 per cent), and potential carbon savings as much as 39 per cent.

As nearly every forward-thinking company has set sustainability goals, says Clark, these are numbers to build on. That said, achieving the most ambitious sustainability goals and improving productivity and efficiency in measurable ways will require the construction industry to look towards more intelligent solutions. Task automation sets a foundation for digital twins, smart robots, and the autonomous jobsite –solutions that will drive even greater improvements in productivity, improve operating margins, attract new talent and set the stage for continued progress on the path towards autonomy.

“The most important factor in this technology being successful comes down to our very well respected and capable SITECH distribution partners in Australia,” says Clark. “These partners are dedicated to delivering and supporting technology solutions into the construction industry, which is absolutely critical to the market adoption of new technology.”

Trimble has positioned itself as one of the leaders in the field of construction technology, and Clark says the company will continue to innovate and push the boundaries on what is possible.

“Task

automation could be a workforce shortage equaliser.”

A recent study by Trimble demonstrated that horizontal steering control on a soil compactor delivered carbon savings of as much as 39 per cent, and a reduction in fuel savings of more than 26 per cent.

20. 09. 2023 Melbourne

The Foundation Awards recognise both individuals and businesses who excel in the industry and bring together different industry segments to one room on one night for a glamorous night of celebration.

Permanent polymer formwork

Build with economic efficiency

Developed to address common constraints associated with concrete walling, Dincel’s permanent polymer formwork system is transforming buildings around Australia.

When the first Dincel polyvinyl chloridebased permanent formwork system for concrete walling rolled off the production line in 2006, the construction industry was quickly drawn in by its durable, versatile and costeffective application. Today, internationally recognised as Dincel Structural Walling, the system is changing the landscape of formwork construction.

Burak Dincel invented and launched Dincel Structural Walling after five years of intensive research and development. His background as a structural engineer, builder, developer and manager of a multi-disciplinary engineering firm gave Burak a multi-focussed view on how to arrive at the ideal structural system. Its successful development was further bolstered by his deep understanding of buildability, architecture and construction practices, the Building Code of Australia, and SafeWork NSW workplace health and safety (WHS) requirements.

A Dincel Wall is a concrete wall with an additional polymer skin that acts as a protective membrane. It can be used to construct a wide range of concrete walls for houses, apartments, offices, retail and

Concrete is the second most consumed substance in the world, according to industry body Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia, with over 70 per cent of the world population living in structures that contain concrete. Made popular by its ability to gain strength over time, low maintenance requirements, low cost and availability, concrete is widely used in the construction of structures such as commercial and residential buildings, dams, roads, sewers and bridges – but it does come with its problems.

Cracking, steel corrosion and ‘concrete cancer’ are just some of the common issues association with conventional concrete construction and can drive up costs, create safety hazards and take time to resolve.

Rather than try to replace concrete, Dincel has created a permanent membrane system that encapsulates it to eliminate the problems associated with conventional concrete application.

A pillar of strength

Conventional concrete is a brittle and non-ductile material. Although strong in compressive strength, it is weak in tensile

cracking – reinforcements such as steel bars

It is nearly impossible to eliminate concrete

cracking occurs before the required strength of concrete is developed for steel bars to assist. “Plastic shrinkage cracking of concrete occurs adds. “There are other types of cracking such as temperature, building settlement, ground

“Often cracking can cause corrosion of the steel bars used for reinforcement, resulting in a premature structural life which, for common concrete structures, is normally 50 years and

removed, sent to storage and brought back for challenges as well as significant time wastage.

“Dincel Waterproof Warranty provides significant time and cost savings for the client.”

The polymer encapsulation of concrete creates a composite action, which increases compressive, flexural strength and impact resilience and creates a significant reduction in conventional concrete’s brittleness.

In-built crack inducers also eliminate the need for wall joints and majority of steel reinforcement.

“Another handicap of concrete, and possibly the most damaging, is the early removal of forms which prematurely finishes the curing process,” explains Burak. “The water within wet concrete rapidly evaporates upon removal of conventional forms and subsequently curing or hydration of concrete prematurely finishes.”

“This leaves water and air pockets even within the best prepared concrete, and the extent of air voids can also be increased by improper concrete vibration.

“The air/water voids can cause structural/ corrosion, fire, and acoustic non-compliance.”

Dincel, on the other hand purposely cracks the wet concrete by in-built crack inducers. These cracks and air/water voids are sealed back because of concrete’s self-healing mechanism during the drying process due to ongoing hydration offered by the presence of the permanent membrane skins of Dincel Wall.

“Dincel’s unique polymer formwork is impervious and does not suck water from the wet concrete, which is one of the reasons why air voids form with the porous nature of formwork,” says Burak.

Waterproof Warranty

Dincel panel joints have been designed with patented barbs that make them waterproof so that external contaminants cannot penetrate into Dincel forms to cause steel corrosion.

Waterproof permanent formwork also allows concrete to be made from almost any material (i.e., corals, beach sand, clay, shale, coal, untreated fly ash and mining wastes) currently not used in concrete making. “This will be the solution for depleting concrete making resources,” says Burak.

“Waterproof Dincel eliminates replacement costs in flood inundated buildings.

“Conventional buildings containing porous material are demolished after a flood event due to mould, not because of structural damage.

“The Dincel solution should therefore eliminate exorbitant insurance premiums and potentially open up flood prone land for development.”

Dincel’s latest innovation offers waterproofing at the wall-footing slab junction, with a life expectancy of 120 years, in addition to Dincel panel joints. This means cost and time effective habitable spaces can be created well below ground level.

Further, he adds, conventional concrete and reinforced masonry walls require joints for crack control purposes at maximum 8-metre centres. The presence of these joints represents potential water, moisture and air contaminant ingress to building interiors due to building movements. In contrast, Dincel panels consist of crack inducers at maximum 0.125-metre centres, therefore Dincel walls can be built any length without any control joints that could let water in, further reducing construction costs.

Testing under The National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA)-registered laboratory supervision has proven that Dincel’s waterproofing system will result in excellent liquid tightness supported by full supervision of the entire installation process.

Dincel is so confident in its waterproofing system that it’s offering up to 50 years zero leakage Waterproof System Warranties for basement walls. Dincel Air Void Free warranty is available as a default, and corrosion and termite penetration are not possible when Dincel Waterproof Warranty is available.

“Dincel is so confident in its waterproofing system that it’s offering up to 50 years zero leakage Waterproof System Warranties for basement walls.”

Burak Dincel, Inventor and Founder of Dincel Structural Walling, looking at a Dincel profile.

Permanent polymer formwork

“On top of NATA registered laboratory supervision, Dincel engaged an eminent industry expert to investigate waterproofing test methods, test results, buildability provisions, any possible ‘what if’ scenario and potential Dincel solutions for remedial measures,” says Burak. “This should open doors for Tier 1 and 2 building companies to use this system with confidence.”

“Dincel Waterproof Warranty provides significant time and cost savings for the client, and Dincel assumes all material and supply warranty with no responsibility to the building owner.”

Sustainable solution

On the sustainability front, concrete has a huge carbon footprint. Cement manufacturing accounts for around seven per cent of global carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions annually, according to VDZ’s 2012 report –Decarbonisation Pathways for the Australian Cement and Concrete Sector

Steel is also a large contributor of CO₂, according to Climate change and the production of iron and steel by the World Steel Association, with direct emissions from steel production representing between seven and nine per cent of global CO₂ emissions in 2020. Dincel innovation allows at least a 50 per cent reduction in cement and steel bar use. Dincel can also be recycled many times, representing even lower total energy consumption. The Dincel load-bearing construction wall system, instead of slabs carried by columns, can provide a 30 per cent structural cost saving and 50 per cent time saving as proven in many apartment constructions. This also correlates to very significant embodied energy savings, being more effective than building wall insulation.

Tried and tested

Due to its durable design, tests conducted at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) found that Dincel Walls have the ability to withstand up to 9.0 magnitude earthquake forces. “These tests prove that Dincel Wall is three times more ductile and stronger in comparison to a conventional concrete wall of the same thickness and cannot be cracked due to temperature or foundation settlements,” says Burak.

“As a result, development potential by number of floors can be increased even in mine subsidence areas.”

Learn the ropes

With a commitment to solving the industry’s permanent polymer formwork needs, Dincel has launched the Dincel Academy – a free service to train installers on building with the Dincel Structural Walling system.

The Academy came about because Dincel found that installers were not following the correct techniques and procedures outlined in the Dincel Construction Manual. While Dincel is extremely easy to install, it does require adherence to procedures and the right techniques to ensure a great result.

Dincel found that many installers were taking shortcuts in installation, says Burak, and this needed to be addressed. “In addition, changes to the building code mean that walls have become more heavily loaded with reinforcing steel,” he says. “These changes further increased the need to be very particular about technique in installing panels to ensure that problems did not ensue.”

The Dincel Academy teaches the principles explained in the Dincel Construction Manual. Education is vital in any aspect of life, says Burak, and the installation of Dincel is no exception.

“If short cuts are taken, if knowledge is assumed, and if poor practices are handed on from person to person, a poor result will occur,” Burak adds. “The Dincel form is a part of the structure and if it has not been installed correctly according to documented procedures then it may compromise building integrity.”

Dincel has also employed After Sales Service Managers that come from the installation sector. These managers spend their days visiting construction sites to ensure that correct Dincel installation procedures are being followed and to provide onsite training and advice to ensure a successful installation outcome.

Backed by extensive testing and validation, Dincel polymer formwork for structural walling is a sustainable, economical, strong and durable alternative to conventional concrete walls, precast and reinforced Besser blocks.

“The Dincel load-bearing construction wall system, instead of slabs carried by columns, can provide a 30 per cent structural cost saving and 50 per cent time saving as proven in many apartment constructions.”

Cost codes

Creating cost clarity

While managing construction cost codes can be complex, Lentune is helping simplify the process with its Project Cost Management software.

Also known as activity-based costing, cost codes can be difficult to manage if not done correctly. But, with the help of Lentune’s Project Cost Management software, cost codes are an extremely useful tool.

Lentune CEO Jono Bonifant explains cost codes as the ultimate measure of the success of a project. “Many emerging construction businesses don’t utilise cost codes, they utilise a general ledger,” says Bonifant. “A general ledger will provide a financial overview of project expenses in broad categories, such as materials or payroll, but won’t provide the granularity of cost codes.”

By using cost codes to budget costs into specific categories, the business can compare, for example, the actual cost of concrete used on a project to the budgeted cost for concrete. What often gets missed without the use of cost codes, says Bonifant, is back-costing to ensure the business delivered on its project estimate. By organising these expenses, cost codes provide complete visibility of project spend and help businesses to understand why they made a profit or loss. This in turn can improve a business’s future bids by enabling it to develop more accurate project estimates

With over 20 years’ experience working across the construction and financial industries, Ingrid Kerr works closely with Lentune as a consultant. If a construction business is using cost codes, she says, it will have a budget and a measure of how its tracking against that budget. “Looking at a project’s overall profit or loss is not going to help a business understand what cost areas had a blowout or in what areas a project

“You might have estimated a 25 per cent profit on a job, but only made 20 per cent, and if it’s not what you estimated then the project

“Being able to identify a project’s weak points, such as why your budget for electrical work went over or why more labour hours were required for a particular task, is crucial for future success – understanding the ‘why’ behind business spend is what

“When we bring to light this understanding of where things have or haven’t gone right, you can start to make decisions around how

you can do it better in the future,” says Kerr. With this level of accurate costing information, businesses can start to mitigate risk and make sure that they are delivering to the expectation of what they quoted.

Cost codes also enable businesses to understand their profit areas, identify the types of jobs that are earning the most money and let go of the lower-performing activities.

“They can help you make decisions around what your business should be,” says Bonifant.

“If a business is really good at particular elements of a construction project, they can then focus on tendering for projects that require those high-performing activities.”

Bonifant says having good metrics in any business is essential to surviving in tough markets. With the construction industry facing thin margins, increased insolvencies and lowest price tendering among scores of other challenges, the businesses failing to use data to their advantage are those at highest risk of coming unstuck.

The question then is, why are construction businesses still not using cost codes?

The short answer, says Bonifant, is that cost codes can be a lot of work for businesses without the support of a good system. Cost codes can be time-consuming and expensive to implement. Small companies may not have the resources to invest in a cost code system, the staff with the expertise to implement and use a cost code system effectively or be reluctant to adopt a new system.

Costs need to be actively linked to cost codes as they come in, which can involve hours of manual data entry and result in further work if not done correctly. Finding a system that can effectively manage cost codes can also be challenging.

Ultimately, says Bonifant, the lynchpin is smart automation. “Lentune’s smart automation technology alleviates the need for manual or tedious tasks associated with cost management,” he explains.

“The engine can automate the population of costing information to simplify the approval process.”

“Lentune links direct costs from purchase orders, supplier invoices, labour costs and plant hire to cost codes as they flow, which means you can start to analyse project performance.”

“Understanding the ‘why’ behind business spend is what guides business growth.”

Lentune also provides that insight instantly. As soon as documents hit the inbox, Lentune captures the data and links it directly to the relevant project and cost code. This means the business has an instant snapshot of performance as compared to the budget. The ship sails quickly when a business starts to get behind on something, Bonifant says, and when something like labour costs start to blow out, there’s no superhero to come in and fix it.

“But if you get visibility of that slippage early, then you at least have the opportunity to make active decisions around resolving it as the project’s running,” Bonifant adds. “Whereas a lot of the time, that insight doesn’t happen until the end of the project.”

For even further business insight, Lentune’s reporting tool allows the operator to view what the budget was for each cost code, what was spent so far, and to click on, review and physically see all the invoices that are related to that cost code.

The next step, which adds another layer of insights to how your job is tracking, is the forecasting tool, which sits within the Job Costing feature. This allows the operator to edit their cost to complete figures, allowing

them to log costs that they know are still to come. This will give them a much clearer idea of how the project is likely to perform and an estimate of what it will look like at completion.

Businesses should also start small and not try to implement a complex cost code all at once. Many construction companies use the CSI MasterFormat list to build their cost code structure. Although Bonifant warns that having too many or unnecessary codes can create confusion.

“As a construction business, you should create a custom cost code list specific to your operations,” he says.

“You want to have a master list of codes that your workforce can utilise.

“When tendering for a new project, you’ll use your master cost code list to produce an estimate and when you bring that project in, you’ll only bring in the cost codes that you have an estimate or a budget against, and they in turn should be the only ones that you’re spending against.

“There should be a direct correlation between how you estimate it, and then how you want to track it – if those two things aren’t aligning, then you’ll have no way of measuring how your business performed.”

Lentune’s powerful dashboard reporting gives your project team visual data to easily interpret what’s happening under the hood of your business.

“When we bring to light this understanding of where things have or haven’t gone right, you can start to make decisions around how you can do it better in the future.”

FOCUS

Cost codes

should be trained on how to use the cost code system to help ensure that the system is used correctly, and that the data is accurate.

“Businesses also need to look for a software company that provides support with

full advantage of cost codes.

Lentune helps construction companies streamline the way they handle project finances, improve business performance and drive growth.

Lentune captures project data and links it directly to the relevant project and cost code.

Eliminating guesswork

In 2021, MCD Developments engaged SmartTech Australia to install XWatch XW4 height and slew limiting systems on two of its excavators. Inside Construction caught up with company Director Malcolm De Wildt to find out what his team has been able to achieve since adopting the technology.

Customer profile

MCD Developments is a specialist excavation company in Victoria, servicing the commercial, civil and residential construction sectors. With over 10 years’ experience in the excavation and construction space, company founder Malcolm De Wildt uses technology across the business to improve safety, productivity and efficiency.

Business challenge

Maximise the use of equipment, tools and technology to protect company assets, employees and the public.

Solution

XW4 height and slew limiter.

Working in the construction industry for over a decade for the likes of CPB Contractors and Delta Group, Malcolm De Wildt launched his own specialist excavation company MCD Developments in 2017.

After engaging SmartTech Australia in 2021 to install XWatch XW4 height and slew limiting systems on its 14.5-tonne and 22.5-tonne excavators, MCD Developments saw swift improvements across its operations. Today, with the benefits of XWatch, the company delivers projects for Tier 1 construction companies and major road projects throughout Victoria.

De Wildt says the height and slew limitation features of XWatch are what led to his interest in the system, and after investigating further, what actually ‘sold’ him on the technology was how easy it was to use. “This system doesn’t have too many flashy bits, it’s fairly basic in the way of setting what you need and that makes it more user-friendly and reduces the risk of operator error causing service strikes,” De Wildt adds.

Sometimes overlooked by contractors and their operators, height and slew control is crucial to ensure the safe operation of

excavators, loaders and the like. XWatch XW4 height and slew limiting systems allow the operator to define pre-set limits to machine arm height and how far it can slew (the rotation or side-to-side movement of an excavator or crane). These limits are particularly useful when working in confined spaces or around overhead utilities.

Traditionally, operating machinery came with a lot of guesswork. Operators had to judge the height or position of the machine by sight, posing significant risk of injury or incident. But with the right equipment, these hazards can be eliminated – the XWatch height and slew limiter ensures front end machinery is monitored and controlled for limit breach with the utmost ease.

Having previously used similar systems, De Wildt says he’s had issues with how some other systems worked with the schematics of the machine. “I’m no expert in hydraulics but the XWatch system looked to be fitted a lot better than others I’ve used in the past,” he says. “I feel product reliability and efficiency are the biggest part of earthmoving –machines can’t make money parked up.”

Initially adopting XWatch to keep up with

XWatch

MCD Developments’ 14.5-tonne excavator equipped with the XWatch XW4 height and slew limiting system.

market requirements, protect company and client assets, and protect the public, MCD Developments is still reaping the rewards two years on. “We’re now maximising the use of our machinery with this technology and the safety benefits have been phenomenal,” says De Wildt. “Our clients are happier because we have protective measures to keep everything and everyone safe.”

“We no longer have to worry about running into or damaging assets or structures, we can get on with completing the job at hand.

“MCD Developments has now delivered works on the Melbourne F1 GP track at Albert Park, MACA Infrastructure’s Beaconsfield Project and the Golf Links Road Upgrade, as well as many other high-profile projects across the state.”

When asked if he would work with SmartTech again to incorporate a new technology into the business, De Wildt says “absolutely”.

“Working with the technicians and crew at SmartTech has certainly exceeded my expectations,” he says. “I had machines getting dropped off and picked up all hours of the evening and SmartTech even opened up the yard on Sundays for us – the quality

MCD Developments’

22.5-tonne excavator being fitted with the XWatch XW4 height and slew limiting system.

With the XWatch XW4 height and slew limiting system, MCD Developments’ 14.5-tonne excavator avoids contact with overhead utilities such as power lines.

“We’re now maximising the use of our machinery with this technology and the safety benefits have been phenomenal.”

Inside Construction Expo 2023

Set for success

It’s time to meet some of the sponsors, exhibitors and conference speakers supporting Melbourne’s premier construction and infrastructure event Inside Construction Expo 2023.

Inside Construction Expo is fast approaching and a range of leading organisations from right across the construction industry are showing their support.

To be held from 20 to 21 September 2023 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, it’s shaping up to be an event to remember.

Inside Construction Expo will feature four stages across the trade show floor, with presenters from a range of construction

2023

companies, contractors, suppliers, government departments and associations. These industry experts will be covering topics including productivity, digital transformation, careers and training, sustainability, health and safety, and updates on a range of major projects.

For those interested in exhibiting, this is your chance to get your business in front of key industry members. Visit the Inside Construction Expo website to secure your space.

Foundation sponsors and exhibitors

Komatsu

“Step into the future of construction with us at the Inside Construction Expo. Our Smart Construction technology is a major development in improving productivity and safety in the construction industry through the application of unique technology and integrated products. We look forward to seeing you there.”

Moddex

“We are thrilled to be exhibiting at the Inside Construction Expo and showcasing our innovative barrier and walkway systems. We look forward to connecting with industry leaders to exchange insights and create partnerships to help shape the future of construction.”

FRAMECAD

“We are excited about exhibiting at the Inside Construction Expo and demonstrating our end-to-end steel building system technology. Technology is a vital part of our industry moving forward and we look forward to having the industry leaders together.”

Wurth

Australia

“We are thrilled to be part of the 2023 Inside Construction Expo, which promises to be a game-changer for the industry. This event will provide an unparalleled opportunity for us to showcase our latest products and innovations, as well as to connect with fellow professionals and share insights and expertise. We look forward to a productive and inspiring event.”

Who will be there

CR Kennedy

“We see this as a great opportunity to partner with one of the biggest construction events in Australia, and to showcase the latest in digital technologies designed to assist the construction industry.”

Blackwoods

“As one of Australia’s first choices for industrial and safety products, Blackwoods is sponsoring the Safety Program Award.”

SAMI Bitumen

“We are excited about exhibiting at the Inside Construction Expo and sponsoring the Foundation Awards. It’s a great platform to demonstrate our end-to-end steel building system technology.”

SITECH Construction Systems | BuildingPoint

“You’ve heard plenty about cutting-edge technology before, it’s nothing new, but have you seen it in action? SITECH Construction Systems and BuildingPoint experts will be on Stand P22.”

Position Partners

“We’re excited to connect with delegates at Inside Construction Expo in Melbourne this year. Events are experiencing a resurgence post-lockdown and nothing beats in-person conversations, especially when it comes to showcasing new technology.”

Speakers

To view the full list of speakers, visit the Inside Construction Expo website.

Emily Trevaskis, People, Culture & Social Outcomes Manager – Laing O’Rourke

Empowered Women in Trades Lead – GHD

Engineering & Systems – ARTC

Karli Sutherland, Board Director – Crane Industry Council of Australia / Coowner, Business Manager –Quicklift Crane & Access Hire

Michael Kilgariff, Former CEO – Roads Australia

Nick Alsop, Senior Manager Heights Association

Sylvia Iskander, Manager Engineering Fleets NSW –Downer

Stress and mental wellbeing Working at heights –it’s not just physical

When I think of working at heights, I’m instantly drawn to the iconic photograph, Lunch Upon a Skyscraper, taken in 1932 on the 69th floor of the RAC building in New York City. Even though we are doing a better job of physically tying off at physical heights, work remains related to the mental aspect of working at heights as we continue to struggle with the stress of our industry and the mental wellbeing of our construction industry teams.

Another image comes to mind, that of a young person entering our industry and metaphorically working at heights as they acclimate to the complexity, fast pace, and pressures of construction.

In many instances young people in our industry learn the ropes in a way that might be intimidating to them, and they

are not provided with the psychological safety to raise their hand and say, “I don’t understand”.

I think of my own story of graduating from engineering school in 1986 at 21 years of age and being hired as the first US female operations manager for an international manufacturing company. Nothing I learned in engineering school prepared me for how to build relationships or navigate the complexities of a large organisation. One day, during intense union negotiations, I walked into the processing area of the manufacturing plant to find “#$%^ Gretchen” painted in metre-high lettering on a phosphoric acid tank. I could fill this page with many similar stories.

Within two years I had taken the Law School Admission Test as I prepared to leave the company and attend law school. The plant manager talked me out of it and transferred me to a different manufacturing plant where he knew I would be mentored.

“People need to know someone cares about their success.”

Dr. Gretchen Gagel provides her unique view of psychologically working at heights as the construction industry strives to overcome its many challenges.

The industry could have easily lost me because I felt I was “working at heights” without any type of safety net and deeply felt the stress of the situation. While our industry is making progress and the stories may not be as harrowing, work remains. For example, the What You Need to Know Now About Your Future Workforce study by the Construction Industry Institute at the University of Texas shows that the construction industry scores lower than other industries in the use of “derogatory comments”.

Bringing our people on board

There are many things we can do to help people feel safe, secure, and wanted in our industry from day one.

Here are but a few suggestions:

• C lear training plans: We need to provide our new workers with a clear training plan that details how they are going to learn their job and succeed.

• C lear mentoring accountability: “Care and nurturing of others” is not a common component of job descriptions in our industry, but it needs to be. People need to know someone cares about their success.

• Regular check-ins: We need to schedule regular check-ins with our new people and ask questions like “what could I do to help you better accomplish your job?”; and “is anyone giving you a hard time?”. Then we need to act upon the answers.

Keeping our people

Once we bring people into the industry, we need to keep them. I left that early manufacturing job because my soon-to-be husband did not want to continue to relocate with me as I continued to be promoted. When I resigned, they offered me a plant manager position in another state, but it wasn’t where we wanted to live and there were no guarantees of how long I would be assigned there. Sound familiar?

If we are genuinely dedicated to retaining our top talent in this industry, we need to:

• Take flexibility seriously: At the recent Future of Construction Summit one organisation discussed two women returning from maternity leave and how both were working three days a week to job share.

We need this level of creativity to address the needs of all types of people on our sites, not just mums. This is not a mum issue, it’s an “I’d like to have a life outside of work” issue.

• Take mental health seriously: The stress of our work can create this “working at heights” feeling, and while we are making great progress on mental health awareness more needs to be done. We need to continue to destigmatise mental health issues. This season of Master Chef Australia features contestant Brent Draper, who dropped out of the show in 2021 because of mental health issues. Brent has returned as a contestant in part to raise awareness of mental health issues, and to promote the fact that we need to not be afraid to raise our hand and say, “I’m not okay, I need some help”.

• Take training and development seriously: During the April meeting of the Board of Brinkman Construction we visited one of our larger, more complex projects. The Assistant Project Manager spoke of how much the mentoring and training she receives from senior leaders means to her. We need to take junior people under our wing, care and nurture them, and not just in an informal way, but in a structured, formal system that helps them understand that there is a safety net, and we care for them as human beings. I love this industry. We build and maintain the assets of society. Let’s make sure we are also building and maintaining the talent we need to be successful, and that people do not feel they are “working at heights”.

Dr. Gretchen Gagel is Chair of Brinkman Construction (US), a member of the National Academy of Construction (US), a member of the Construction Industry Culture Taskforce (AUS), and an affiliate professor at the Australian National University and the University of Denver. As President/Managing Director of Greatness Consulting Pty Ltd she continues to advise organisations within the construction industry on optimising capital program delivery and developing talent. You can hear more from Gretchen on her Spotify podcast, “Greatness”.

“Once we bring people into the industry, we need to keep them.”

Formwork Industry Association

Industry takes the lead on safety – Part two

Following the recent

With the launch of the new Safe Formworker Program, featured in the June 2023 edition of Inside Construction, and with enrolments increasing by the day, the Formwork Industry Association (FIA) is working with its members to develop a new education and skills pathway. This will take the re-engaged formworker from the Safe Formworker Program to certified training and the new Certificate III in Formwork, currently being discussed by the FIA with Federal Government training bodies. The goal is to develop a ‘fit for purpose’ formwork qualification in preparation for the large number of government infrastructure projects in the pipeline.

History

As you may be aware, the previous Federal Government made the decision to subsume the Formwork & Falsework Certificate III qualification into the Carpentry Certificate III qualification in 2021/22. This took away the only formwork-specific qualification and access to any funding for apprenticeships or funding for recognition of prior learning (RPL) programs, as well as formwork specific education and skills pathways. Whilst the Carpentry Certificate III qualification is ‘fit for purpose’ for those building residential houses, it is not ‘fit for purpose’ for large scale building and infrastructure projects, putting further pressure on the skills shortage and safety in our industry.

Following extensive campaigning at both federal and state levels by the FIA, the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) agreed to extend the transition period of CPC31511 - Certificate III in Formwork/ Falsework until 31 December 2023.

This enabled the formwork industry to continue to employ formwork apprentices and access relevant funding to assist with their wages. It also enabled the industry to access training and demonstrate education and learning targets now required for most government projects to secure future projects and work.

This was going through the necessary approval process until the recent federal election and now it is ‘stuck’ in government bureaucracy as the new Jobs and Skills Council (JSC) is formed. Registered training organisations (RTOs) and industry have called for an extension to the transition period in view of the delayed formation of the JSC and we are still waiting to hear the outcome. With high incident levels on sites, a skills shortage and other industry pressures, there is still a need, and demand, for the right level of training and expertise to minimise the level of risk and improve safety onsite. Without any formwork specific education and skills pathway, and no need for formworkers to be specifically skilled or licensed to work onsite, the formwork industry decided to take control and take the lead to improve safety on construction sites.

New education and skills pathway

Over the past year the FIA, and formwork and construction industries have got together to formulate a new Formwork Education and Skills Pathway to improve safety in the Australian formwork industry. Industry feedback requested the FIA create industry-wide and recognised minimum levels of safety to get workers safely onsite. Feedback also stated that there was a need to re-engage workers in learning and prepare them for future learning/training to address the skills shortage.

By FIA Chief Executive Officer Michael Sugg. michael@ formworkassociation.com.au M: 0401 326 161

Back in 2022, the Federal Government instructed the FIA to work with consultancy ARTIBUS on a new formwork certification, and together with industry, we drafted a proposed new infrastructure-focused formwork Certificate III qualification.

As the Building Confidence report by industry experts Peter Shergold and Bronwyn Weir stated, industry collaboration is a key driver in ensuring future success within the industry and a catalyst for change to occur. The recently released Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2023-2033 states that companies need to make sure that, on their projects, there is meaningful and relevant training for workers delivered in a way they can understand. It supports the continuation and strong focus on compliance and enforcement by regulators, with a particular focus on systematic work health and safety (WHS) management. If you don’t have meaningful and relevant training and cannot demonstrate robust WHS management, the risk is that the safety regulators will investigate the quality of your systems, including training

launch of the new Safe Formworker Program, Michael Sugg delves into the Formwork Industry Association’s plans to develop a new education and skills pathway.

“It is every employer’s responsibility to make sure their workers get the training, instruction and support they need to keep them safe at work.”

Formwork education and skills pathway to

Australian formwork industry

and competency, to hold companies and individuals accountable. WHS laws are risk based and don’t need an incident to occur for a business and its individuals to be liable. It is every employer’s responsibility to make sure their workers get the training, instruction and support they need to keep them safe at work.

In an industry that does not require any more than a White Card to work as a formworker, and with no clear training and skills pathway, it is easy for companies not to be compliant. This is a great opportunity for change to occur and for industry to take the lead –and that’s what it’s doing.

The proposed pathway has been received well in NSW, with support of both the formwork and construction industries, and particularly the NSW Department of Education, which has funded the progress of 1,000 formworkers through the Safe Formworker Program, as the first ‘run’ of the new pathway towards certified training. As we reported last edition, there is a need to re-engage workers in meaningful learning and assist them to develop confidence and an appetite for further training to develop their skills and ultimately their careers.

There has been no dispute from anyone in the industry when we say, “if you improve the skills of a formworker you improve their safety, quality and productivity onsite”. It’s a situation that benefits everyone.

In the new pathway, a worker can progress their learning from the Safe Formworker Program into a series of relevant formworkspecific micro-credential courses and formwork skills to build learning confidence and assess workers’ knowledge and competencies. The FIA’s app-based learning tool also allows a worker to build a body of video-based evidence of their competencies onsite following these micro-credential courses. This not only improves their knowledge but gives them control and ownership of their training and learning records and allows them to present these to future employers. This makes them more employable and provides a mechanism not currently available for both workers and

employers to understand and rate a worker’s skills. It makes recruitment of skilled labour easier and reduces some of the pressures on formwork companies at present. It also allows for companies to be more compliant with record keeping of their worker’s meaningful and relevant training.

From these micro-credential courses and skills, the FIA and industry have been working with industry training advisory bodies (ITABs) to develop a series of skill sets which include entry-level accredited training on specific units of competency relating to formwork. These skill sets will be delivered by RTOs and funded by the smart and skilled program. The FIA is working closely with RTOs and ITABs to ensure that these skill sets can be delivered in line with industry demand and, where feasible, onsite, to reduce the time a worker spends offsite. While there is still a lot of work to do here, we are confident that these skill sets will meet industry demand and ensure there is a pathway for workers to follow and address the skills shortage.

A pathway is essential. Not only does this assist the worker and allow them to manage their learning and skills progression for a better career, but it also enables the employer to access relevant and meaningful learning for their workers and be compliant under the WHS Act.

The pathway enables a formworker to then choose whether they engage in the Certificate III in Carpentry or, when it is available, the new Certificate III in Formwork for Infrastructure. For the first time we will have a formwork specific education and skills pathway that everyone can recognise.

Safety is an issue on all sites. Skills shortages are an issue in our industry. With an ageing workforce and financial pressures, we are looking at a very bleak future for the Australian formwork industry. The time to act is now.

Details of the Safe Formworker Program and Skills Pathway can be found on the FIA website and industry participants are encouraged to contact Michael Sugg to discuss support

program to improve site

“If you improve the skills of a formworker you improve their safety, quality and productivity onsite.”

National Precast Concrete Association Australia

Historic Olympic pool demands the best

Making its own contribution to an iconic landmark, National Precast Concrete Association Australia

Master Precaster Waeger Constructions manufactured and supplied precast concrete elements for the North Sydney Olympic Pool Redevelopment.

Not many Olympic swimming pools enjoy a location as spectacular as the North Sydney Olympic Pool – an outdoor pool located on Sydney Harbour at Milsons Point, between the Harbour Bridge and Luna Park. Nor do they boast a history of setting 86 world records since opening in 1936.

Redevelopment of the complex after some 85 years has not come quickly. Since before 2013, discussions have been held about the need to upgrade, with the years and environment having taken their toll on the 50-metre pool, concourse and grandstand.

With approval for the redevelopment granted by North Sydney Council in July 2013, it wasn’t until December 2020 that details were finalised, and Icon SI (Aust) was appointed to carry out the construction works.

With a historic reputation in an enviable yet demanding location, the $63.9 million redevelopment had to befit the pool’s prestige and rise to deliver a long lasting and durable solution.

Builder

Icon SI (Aust)

Architect

Brewster Hjorth Architects

Master Precaster

Waeger Constructions

National Precast Concrete Association

Australia (National Precast) Master Precaster Waeger Constructions was awarded the contract to manufacture and supply precast concrete steps and plats for the new grandstand which would overlook the new pool and Harbour.

The precaster is known for another historically significant project, the ANZAC Memorial Walk in Newcastle. Its owner and Managing Director, Michael Waeger, has also just stepped down as President of National Precast, the precast industry’s peak body.

“Jobs like this one excite me and the team,” says Waeger. “We are proud to be able to make a contribution to such iconic landmarks that will serve the community for many years to come.”

Waeger Constructions manufactured and supplied 42 plats measuring 8 metres long and 40 steps that were 2 metres long for the grandstand in grey concrete in a Class 2 finish. The company manufactured the

Artist’s impression of the new Olympic Pool at North Sydney.

Project North Sydney Olympic Pool Redevelopment Location

North Sydney, NSW

products in its purpose-built factory before delivering them to the redevelopment site, which resulted in its team only having to spend four days onsite. If these same works had been undertaken onsite, it would have taken several weeks.

Fifty megapascal concrete with a B2 exposure classification was used to ensure durability requirements were met, while also delivering a high quality, low maintenance finish that Master Precasters such as Waeger Constructions are renowned for producing. Waeger says that his company reconfigured the proposed lifting design to change the casting orientation so that the best finish could be achieved on the surfaces that would be visible once installed.

The upgrade is expected to be completed in July 2023 and, alongside a new pool and grandstand, the complex will offer a new state-of-the-art leisure and fitness centre.

North Sydney Mayor Jilly Gibson says the redevelopment will mean that regular swimmers will be able to enjoy their harbourside swims for many decades to come.

“The redevelopment will also open the complex to new customers,” says Gibson. “We’ll have better swimming and play options

for families; older people will be able to enjoy gentle exercise in warm water pools and we’ll be able to offer more aquatic and fitness classes and an expanded gymnasium.”

Precast education now available to all

Silica dust management, bolted connections and payment for goods offsite are just three of the webinars already available from the National Precast Concrete Association Australia (National Precast).

National Precast’s CEO Sarah Bachmann says more are being run every month and there are options for not just precasters, but for engineers, builders and other industry stakeholders.

“Almost twenty webinars are available for purchase from our online education portal nationalprecastonline.com.au,” Bachmann says. “The good news is that anyone can now participate in future webinars.”

These are scheduled on the association’s main website, at nationalprecast.com.au/ events. Upcoming webinars include bracing

and propping, contracts, site testing of anchors and insurance liability.

A recent National Precast webinar on using digital enterprise resource planning to reduce process complexities in precast manufacturing, presented by IDAT’s Sebastian Jovan and National Precast CEO Sarah Bachmann.

Seating plats manufactured by Waeger Constructions for the new Olympic Pool grandstand.

With a historic reputation in an enviable yet demanding location, the $63.9 million redevelopment had to befit the pool’s prestige.

ASSOCIATIONS

Australian Constructors Association

Summit sparks action

There should be no reason why a career in construction means giving up going out for nice mid-week dinners and walking the dog. Making money should not be considered a crime and innovation should be celebrated. Women should make up more than 12 per cent of our workforce and the construction industry should be viewed as an industry of choice for future generations.

We need to fundamentally change how our industry operates and we need to start now. We know what needs to be done. We just need to get on and do it.

During the recent Future of Construction Summit, I challenged the 750 plus attendees to commit to collaborative efforts in transforming the culture of Australia’s construction industry. Everyone present in the room – including government representatives, industry leaders and union members – stood up in agreement.

Throughout the two-day summit, we reached a consensus that standing still is not an option. Jim Betts, Secretary of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, clearly stated, “We need to throw away a rule book that has let us down. It’s got to change on our watch.”

The event hashtag, #Timeforchange, signifies the commencement of a growing movement to fundamentally transform Australia’s construction industry. We cannot afford to wait a decade for transformation; we must act now. Failure to do so will result in the ‘disrupt or die’ headline becoming a harsh reality.

Productivity, productivity, productivity

Productivity emerged as a major focal point at this year’s event, underlining the need for urgent action. Startling statistics were revealed: Australia’s opportunity cost soared from an already staggering $35 billion in FY 2019 to a staggering $47 billion in just two years. To put this into perspective, this amount alone surpasses the cost of several high-profile infrastructure projects currently in the planning phase.

It’s no surprise then that governments are now deferring projects due to market capacity and value for money concerns. Imagine if they could benefit from that $47 billion each

year. Improving productivity performance is not a matter of choice then.

One of the speakers made a compelling argument that our industry should not merely focus on managing risk but instead become an industry that manages productivity to refocus what is important to us. Another strong point was that we need to pinch with pride from what other industries are doing and have a manufacturing mindset about understanding data.

During discussions on productivity, the significance of concepts like standardisation became apparent. It was evident that productivity encompasses every aspect of our industry – from culture and contracts to technology. To unlock the productivity puzzle, we must ensure all these elements are aligned and optimised.

Flexibility is key

If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that as an industry we’re not as rigid as we once thought. We have discovered that being onsite every day, six or seven days a week, and working more than ten hours a day is not the only path to getting a job built. We have learned the value of balance and the importance of making time for life outside of work. We can enjoy going out for an evening meal, exercising before or after work and still get our work done.

Unsurprisingly, flexible work arrangements emerged as a crucial topic of discussion at this year’s summit. The panellists challenged conventional notions of flexibility and explored how it can benefit everyone involved. To clarify, this is not just a women’s issue. There was unanimous agreement that we must find ways to bring in flexibility and job sharing into the worksite. After all, shift work and job sharing are essentially two sides of the same coin. It is crucial that we actively demonstrate flexible working arrangements. If senior members of the industry fail to lead by example, it becomes challenging for others to embrace these practices.

Net zero in 10

We have been running a net zero marathon in flip flops. It is time to take the flip flops off and sprint. These famous words by Marco Assorati from WeBuild could not be truer. Discussing

On the back of the 2023 Future of Construction Summit, Australian Constructors Association CEO Jon Davies is calling for all construction professionals to play their part in setting industry transformation in motion.

“We need to fundamentally change how our industry operates and we need to start now.”

how construction can become net zero in 10 years, Brett Mason from Built proposed three things are at play driving the industry towards a more sustainable future – the carrot, the stick and the tambourine.

With federal and state governments working on a range of initiatives including legislation and measured standards, we are at a tipping point where we are about to see a lot more carrot and stick to achieve sustainability outcomes in our industry. The value the community places on sustainability –including our employees, our tenants and even our friends and families – ensures there is also a noisy chorus demanding action from the industry as well.

Technology and innovation

The industry has been talking about technology as an opportunity and the Day Two panels demonstrated that now it’s happening. We heard some of the panellists talk about the use of virtual reality to test design outcomes before building. Eliminating rework and waste to drive efficiency was a big topic. Data sharing was also a point of discussion – it’s huge and we need to do it. For all the positive discussion around technology, there was also recognition of the constant push back around adoption because of risk. Taking on risk to develop technology takes a lot of convincing.

One panellist said, “Show me the case and show me the other times that it is a viable solution and then I’ll consider it.”

We acknowledged that the mindset for innovation needs to change – it can no longer be “we want the innovative thing, as long as it’s been done three times.”

In its simplest form, the takeaway is that we no longer accept the excuse that it’s too difficult.

Culture pledge

As contractors, we know that we are part of the industry’s culture problem and therefore part of the solution. We know that there is much that we could and should do ourselves without waiting for others or requiring something in return.

It is for this reason that all members of the Australian Constructors Association (ACA) made a pledge at the summit to transform the

culture of the industry from the bottom up. The pledge contains three actions.

1. ACA members pledge to mandate flexible work plans for employees on every project, both office and site roles. Other international jurisdictions are moving to legislate flexible working options and we are not waiting for the Australian Government to follow suit.

2. ACA members pledge to achieve the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) Employer of Choice citation across 75 per cent of our membership. The WGEA citation reinforces the message we want to convey about our industry’s commitment to diversity.

3. With major workforce shortages right now, ACA members have further pledged to rebrand the industry and attract more workers. There are opportunities for everyone, and we will be lifting the curtain on those opportunities and promoting them.

This pledge does not require anything of anyone other than ACA members and we will absolutely be walking the talk. Yes, it is #Timeforchange. Who’s on board?

For more information visit constructors.com.au

“It is crucial that we actively demonstrate flexible working arrangements.”

Jon Davies, CEO, Australian Constructors Association spoke of industry change at the 2023 Future of Construction Summit.

2023 Future of Construction Summit.

ASSOCIATIONS

The National Association of Women in Construction

Parenthood in construction

The National Association of Women in Construction says supporting women during the parenthood stages of their career is vital to ensuring the construction industry can attract and retain a gender diverse workforce.

Parenthood is a complex journey, both personally and biologically. In Australia approximately one in every 18 pregnancies occurs via in vitro fertilisation (IVF). We are also seeing increases in same sex families, single parent families and parenting by fostering and adoption. Workplaces need to be aware that as society evolves, so does our understanding of the diversity of needs that parents and carers have.

Some of our The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) members

are on the tools, either tradespeople or with hybrid roles that require them to work onsite during their pregnancy.

With the NAWIC Women on Tools committee in Queensland, we have created some resources to support those undertaking this journey. Whether you are thinking about starting a family, are an employer of a pregnant woman, or an onsite woman who is pregnant, the most important priority is ensuring clarity of communication and safety for all involved.

“Workplaces need to be aware that as society evolves, so does our understanding of the diversity of needs that parents and carers have.”

NAWIC Member stories

When Tess, a tiler by trade, was six months pregnant, her doctor advised her to go on light duties. Her employer worked with her to find suitable solutions during this time. Her light duties included overseeing apprentices and guiding them on jobs, quoting jobs, dealing directly with customers and invoicing.

Tess and her employer agreed that when she was ready to return to work, they’d discuss what duties she was able to perform, any changes in her hours and create a plan to get her back into her role.

This is a great example of a collaborative and respectful relationship between Tess and her employer. It prioritises Tess’s workplace safety and demonstrates positive and open dialogue between all parties.

Michelle Hands, a UK based engineer who spent considerable time onsite, became an internet sensation when she shared her workplace pregnancy journey. In her blog, Michelle wrote about the initial conversation she had with her employer.

“One day, at around 15 weeks, I plucked up the courage to tell my boss about my pregnancy,” said Michelle. “To my total surprise his reaction was so positive.”

He responded: “We need to make sure you take it easy onsite and how long would you like to work for?”

“I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders,” said Michelle. “Quickly the news spread, and, on that afternoon, I was treated like royalty.”

NAWIC Resources for Tradies and Babies

Sometimes the hardest thing to do is start a conversation, especially when it is on a topic or situation not normally encountered and you anticipate that it might be uncomfortable or even negatively received.

The NAWIC guide ‘Tradies and Babies’ covers everything from the initial conversation, throughout the pregnancy and post-birth – for both employees and employers (as well as self-employed people). Key topics addressed include the roles, responsibilities, rights and obligations of each party as well as systems that can be put in place to ensure employees are supported before, during and after pregnancy.

Needs of parents in construction-based workplaces

NAWIC held a ‘Shifting the Dial’ webinar event in October 2023. From the online survey conducted with the 100-plus attendees during the event, the respondents indicated the largest issue with encouraging women in the industry is retention. NAWIC understands and advocates for company-wide strategies which ensure women’s safety and job security in the construction industry, particularly for parents and carers. This can include flexibility around shift times and part-time work to better suit operating hours onsite.

NAWIC continues to work with both government and industry to ensure that the needs of our members are heard, and action is taken to improve the experiences of women during the parenthood stage of their careers. The key areas of NAWIC’s advocacy for the retention of women in construction include improving access to childcare, as well as its flexibility and affordability, such as:

• Providers better aligning childcare options to suit onsite hours;

• Workplaces adjusting onsite hours aligned to childcare hours for parents;

• Ensuring access to portable parental and long service leave for all construction workers;

• Promotion in industry to encourage workplaces to create and support job share, part-time and work from home options. Jayco, for example, has done amazing work in this space by creating four-hour shifts during school hours to address their labour shortage issues and importantly make their company a great place for women to work. Access to affordable childcare is another way we can address retention issues. Many state governments have this on the agenda, and we look forward to seeing childcare reforms in the coming years make a big difference to the cost equation of work and care.

NAWIC Members can contact our Member Assistance Program, a free service available 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 1300 878 379. Our trained mental health support team can discuss any questions or concerns you may have about the parenthood journey (or any other matter) in a completely confidential manner.

“Sometimes the hardest thing to do is start a conversation, especially when it is on a topic or situation not normally encountered.”

Katie O’Malley: driving and delivering value

Joining the construction industry by chance on the back of an economic downturn, Katie O’Malley quickly developed a zealous enthusiasm for delivering meaningful places and infrastructure.

It’s hard to imagine Katie O’Malley in an industry outside of construction. Her passion for the sector shines through in the way she speaks about her role as Group Corporate Affairs Manager at BESIX Watpac and the construction projects, initiatives and teams she’s been a part of.

It may be surprising to some that O’Malley’s career began in the advertising world.

Growing up, her parents actively encouraged her to get an education and at the age of 18, O’Malley left home and completed a Bachelor of Communication and Design in Wellington, New Zealand.

At that time, a vast majority of New Zealand graduates made their way to the UK for work, but O’Malley says she was hankering for an adventure and accepted a position in Tonga to work for a small media and tourism publishing firm. “Living in a developing country exposed me to foreign aid and infrastructure projects, high commissioners and an ex-pat lifestyle,” she says.

“I socialised with American Peace Corps, Australian Aid volunteers and local work colleagues through to luxury yacht owners.

“I learned to be incredibly flexible, resourceful and resilient – filling in my time tutoring, volunteering, completing my first triathlon, kayaking and even teaching aerobics at the local gym (it wasn’t pretty).”

O’Malley’s next adventure led her to Brisbane where she began working in advertising, publishing and digital media. It was here she progressed into management roles and gained experience building teams and leading communication strategies for

“It was about this time I realised the importance of being a trusted partner in an organisation,” says O’Malley. “I found myself working closely with C-Suite executives to communicate confidential and complex initiatives like a voluntary redundancy program or launching a new solution.”

“I think having a creative background has helped me develop a solutions-orientated

“I’m often not the most qualified person in the room – but I can support developing a roadmap to navigate a way forward.”

In 2008 O’Malley was recruited into a communication role for a start-up marketing

automation software company but, not long after, found herself redundant as a result of the global financial crisis. Little did she know, a great opportunity was around the corner.

O’Malley scored her first role in the construction industry in the submissions space for national engineering design, construction and land development firm BMD Group. Submissions is a great place to get up to speed with any industry, she says, and understand client requirements.

“I was incredibly fortunate at BMD Group to be offered a lot of training and development, including an opportunity to be mentored by the Chief Financial Officer,” says O’Malley. “This helped build my confidence and my overall understanding of commercial business management outside of my own role.”

By this stage, O’Malley had built a strong portfolio of industry experience and was approached for a role at Hastings Deering Caterpillar. She says she jumped at the chance to work for a global brand with much larger consumer marketing budgets.

Her career then took her to Melbourne for two years where O’Malley worked for Viva Energy (Shell Australia) until joining SMEC – a global multidisciplinary design firm. “Part of my role was to lead the communication program for the acquisition of SMEC and then Robert Bird Group by Surbana Jurong Group,” she says. “The organisation is owned by CapitaLand and Temasek Holdings, an investment company owned by the Government of Singapore, so it was a huge step up in terms of working with global stakeholders.”

With experience now across civil, equipment, energy and engineering design sectors, O’Malley joined BESIX Watpac in October 2021 as Group Corporate Affairs Manager – her first time working in the built environment.

Currently responsible for the company’s sustainability, Indigenous affairs, workforce development and training, marketing and communications functions, O’Malley leads a team that supports the business across the entire value chain – from helping set environmental, social, and governance (ESG) targets and developing content for bids, to managing media and promotion of company projects, to supporting community initiatives in the regions where BESIX Watpac operates.

“I’m often not the most qualified person in the room or the technical specialist – but I can support developing a roadmap to navigate a way forward.”

Additionally, O’Malley is part of the Group Leadership Team, involved in strategy and planning workshops, and sits on a range of internal committees.

Her commitment to the construction industry extends even further as a member of the Construction Skills Queensland Women in Construction Advisory Committee and as a board member of the Australian Construction Association.

Since joining BESIX Watpac, O’Malley says she has been provided with lots of opportunities and support from the company’s leadership team. “In particular my Chief Executive Officer, Mark Baker, is a great mentor who has consistently provided me with opportunities and stretch projects to deepen my industry knowledge and develop my career,” she says.

Her role at BESIX Watpac has seen her involved in notable projects including the Te Kaha – Canterbury’s Multi-Use Arena Stadium in New Zealand, positioning for the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games and projects right on her doorstep such as Kangaroo Point Green Bridge.

With employees fundamentally connected to BESIX Watpac’s success, last year O’Malley developed and launched a new employee Awards and Recognition program with a monthly values-based peer nominated award.

“My team also launched our second Reconciliation Action Plan ‘Innovate’, which is focused on providing training pathways such as apprenticeships and traineeships to support local communities and Indigenous people to gain sustainable employment,” says O’Malley. “We’re incredibly proud of our track record and have achieved a national average Indigenous workforce of 2.1 per cent, which is approximately 797 Indigenous people on our projects over the last 4 years.”

“Our National Estimated Indigenous Spend since 2019 is also $14.5 million and growing.”

To strengthen BESIX Watpac’s commitment to community, O’Malley worked with the company’s Chief Executive Officer and Group Risk and Compliance Manager to establish the BESIX Watpac Community Fund. The company has supported multiple charities through this initiative, including funding the Tradie Health Institute which is focused on silicosis disease treatment and research at The

Prince Charles Hospital in Queensland. Sustainability is also really high on her agenda. “It’s been great to have our new Sustainability Manager join our team to support our ESG strategy, lead our Sustainability Committee and support our bids and projects,” O’Malley says.

More recently, O’Malley has been a part of BESIX Watpac’s Group Leadership Team working group that developed a diversity strategy that enabled the company to announce its commitment to a 25 per cent female workforce by 2025.

“We’ve committed to a 5 per cent increase of females in management roles by the end of 2023 and are focused on eliminating any gender pay gaps – I sit on a review panel where we track and review recruitment data and outcomes,” she says. “This year we are also celebrating 40 years of operations which has been an exciting opportunity to promote our legacy, experience, and value add of our BESIX Group partnership.”

More than the opportunities the construction industry has provided her, O’Malley says what truly drew her to the industry was the positive and sometimes life-changing impact infrastructure and buildings can have on the community.

“Making a difference is important to me, it sounds a bit cheesy – but I think in construction you really have the opportunity to contribute to building meaningful places and improving lives,” she says. “My own family and a lot of people I know have been directly impacted by suicide and mental health; it’s also one of the biggest challenges in our industry with construction having one of the highest rates of suicide.”

“It’s meant a lot to me to that my role has included developing partnerships with Greg Inglis and the Goanna Academy and supporting initiatives like Movember.

“Launching these programs into our workplace has been a great way to help raise awareness, remove the stigma and most importantly, support more conversations.

“Outside of purpose, it’s the people – in every organisation I’ve worked in, I’m surrounded by exceptionally smart, humble and gritty people working hard to deliver outstanding projects.”

O’Malley’s multidisciplinary career is nothing short of inspiring.

“Making a difference is important to me, it sounds a bit cheesy –but I think in construction you really have the opportunity to contribute to building meaningful places and improving lives.”

Orlagh Brady: fuelled by growth

Orlagh Brady has forged an impressive construction career, and a passion for building furniture flatpacks at home was the catalyst that started it all.

Since her early years Orlagh Brady has had an eagerness to learn and a zest for hands-on activities. When she struggled to engage in her studies at school, Orlagh channelled her energy into other passions such as building flatpack furniture at home and playing sports – striving for personal growth in areas that aligned with her interests.

Throughout her search for the ideal career path, Orlagh dabbled in a number of industries. She then moved to Dublin, Ireland in 2018 where her family originates from and picked up a role in human resources.

When she returned to Brisbane, Orlagh says she was thrown straight back into the deep end of decision-making. “I had no idea what I wanted to do, so I made the decision to study paramedicine,” she says. “I did that for six months before realising it wasn’t the right path for me.”

“I went back into what I knew, hospitality, until my dad called me and offered me a job as a labourer in the commercial construction sector – it sounded very out there, but I thought, why not?”

In this role, Orlagh ended up working on the Mercedes-Benz building in Brisbane where she moved materials, worked with various tradespeople and got a feel for what it was like to work in the construction industry. She learned about the different tools used onsite and what her capabilities were in a construction environment – and she also discovered carpentry.

“I ended up speaking to a number of carpenters onsite, which sparked my interest in the field,” she says. “As luck would have it, one of those carpenters offered me the opportunity to complete a carpentry apprenticeship with his residential building business.”

“I had the drive, I was eager to learn how to put things together, and I took the opportunity with both hands.”

In 2022, Orlagh finished her trade and, as a fully qualified carpenter, started searching for her next challenge. She knew she wanted to be involved in the business side of construction, she knew she wanted to gain further skills and she knew she wanted to take the next step in her career.

Then, one day, Orlagh received a call from a recruiter from a company she had never

heard of. “He asked me what I was looking for and what my mindset was on my career,” she says. “I said I wanted to do a cadetship because I wanted to learn from estimators, and work with designers and project managers.”

“The recruiter got me an interview with specialist fit-out and refurbishment company Fore Group, and the rest is history.”

Today, as Fore Group Building Cadet, Orlagh says she is in a role and industry that she truly enjoys and fosters her personal and professional growth daily.

As a building cadet, part of Orlagh’s role involves managing documents, writing subcontracts and engaging with subcontractors. She also organises the tradespeople onsite, communicates with site managers, attends meetings, assists with submitting tenders and sits in with project managers to learn about their processes.

Currently, Orlagh is assisting with a tender delivery for heritage works on an over-acentury-old building in Queensland. “This project is an especially exciting one for me as I worked on a building in the same heritage precinct in my previous role as a carpenter,” she says. “Working on the same project in a completey different field is mind-blowing.”

Beyond her role at Fore Group, Orlagh has also organised a ‘Tradie Lady’ meet up in Brisbane with the support of charity organisation Empowered Women in Trades (EWIT) and a number of construction companies. Created as a forum to bring together local women in trades to share career advice and stories, the event is being held on June 30 this year. Orlagh hopes that through this forum, she can provide support for local women in the industry.

Throughout her career, Orlagh has found her own support through EWIT platforms. After coming across a post on Instagram about EWIT’s first Charity Gala, she spoke with family and friends who nominated her for the Inspiring Tradie Lady of the Year award.

“I found out I was shortlisted for the award, which was an amazing feeling,” says Orlagh.

On the night of the gala, held on February 3 2023, Orlagh was announced the Inspiring Tradie Lady of the Year – a title well deserved.

It’s no doubt that Orlagh will continue to be a beacon of inspiration for ‘Tradie Ladies’ across Brisbane and beyond.

“I had the drive, I was eager to learn how to put things together, and I took the opportunity with both hands.”

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