echo adrotate_group(33, 0, 0, 0);Construction industry groups across the ditch claim they cannot deliver a $110-billion national infrastructure pipeline and are calling on the federal government to introduce urgent reforms to fix the “industry crisis”, The Urban Developer reports Australian Constructors Association chief executive Jon Davies says the industry was at breaking point. Continue →

echo adrotate_group(33, 0, 0, 0);Construction output is expected to grow by 5.5% in 2021, with growth continuing until 2025, a GlobalData report finds New Zealand’s construction industry recorded an annual average growth rate of 6.6% between 2016 and 2019 before lockdown restrictions in the first half of 2020 saw the industry contract by 7.3% in real terms. Continue →

echo adrotate_group(33, 0, 0, 0);Contractors often have their own way of doing things and have gotten comfortable with the solutions they have, but whatever the size of the business, it is likely that improvements can be made, says Bluebeam Australia The Urban Developer The construction industry is filled with tales of software bought and never used. Continue →

echo adrotate_group(33, 0, 0, 0);Delays and budget blowouts are commonplace in our construction sector, but Rob Bryant from software company InEight says we just need to collaborate New Zealand’s procurement processes are renowned for being complicated and incredibly slow moving, with the burden of risk laying with contractors rather than owners. Continue →

echo adrotate_group(33, 0, 0, 0);Since the most destructive of Canterbury’s earthquakes, former Senior Structural Engineer with HERA, Charles Clifton, has analysed why structures like the CTV building failed and what goes into making buildings more resilient under severe seismic stress Through my collaboration with HERA (New Zealand’s Heavy Engineering Research Association), the University of Canterbury Associate Professor Gregory MacRae and Auckland University of Technology Senior Lecturer Shahab Ramhormozian, New Zealanders can be assured that the best structural and civil engineering minds are resolving the challenges around building performance; human safety; and the cost of construction and remedial strengthening in light of what we learned from Christchurch. Continue →

echo adrotate_group(33, 0, 0, 0);While the manufacturing, healthcare, and technology sectors have embraced technological advances and refined their processes, construction has lagged behind, but Digital Twin technologies could be the solution To achieve sustainable infrastructure, construction must adopt new technology and materials, the United Nations Environment Program reports. Continue →

echo adrotate_group(33, 0, 0, 0);Construction has long been plagued by a lack of collaboration and communication right along the supply chain, according to construction payment application firm Payapps The Urban Developer Over time, this leads to job fragmentation, inefficient contract approaches and disputes over claims. Continue →

With skill shortages due to worsen over the next decade as a large portion of the industry retires, Director for Infrastructure at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Anil Sawhney explains how to meet our growing infrastructure needs This article was originally published on the Global Infrastructure Hub’s blog, which you can read here The industry already faces an enormous skills gap given the need to build 13,000 buildings each day between now and 2050 to support an expected population of 7.7 billion people living in cities, RICS’ Future of Work in Construction Report finds. Continue →

As $45 billion worth of infrastructure projects take place over the next five years, smarter solutions will be needed to keep these projects on track and within budget The newly re-elected government has confirmed it will invest NZ$45 billion in infrastructure projects over the next five years to help restart the economy after the impact of COVID-19. Continue →

New Zealand’s building and construction industry can lift its poor productivity by establishing a digital database on building products, a BRANZ funded report from GS1 New Zealand finds This opportunity is explored in “Digital Product Data for Lifting Productivity” – a major new report from GS1 New Zealand on how such a digital database, or repository, would support the building and construction industry and on feasible steps for its establishment. Continue →

Digital Twin Technology is increasingly being deployed by organisations in the construction industry, delivering organisational cost savings and operational efficiencies as part of their digital transformation journey, says Head of Pacific AVEVA Damien McDade from AVEVA Worldwide, construction is already one of the largest industry sectors. Continue →

Despite the Covid-19 lockdown interruption and delays in shovel-ready projects, many contractors are optimistic about the future according to the 2020 Construction Industry Survey, a partnership between Teletrac Navman and Civil Contractors New Zealand COVID-19 and the electoral cycle are causing short-term pain for civil contractors in the next 6-12 months, but the industry sees a promising future, with record spending on infrastructure projects as a cornerstone to the Government’s economic recovery plan. Continue →

As the demand for sustainable infrastructure increases, a renewed look at whole-of-lifecycle savings and the ongoing cost of corrosion is challenging engineers to look beyond conventional construction materials Glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) composite rebar, also known as fiberglass rebar, is one such material that in eliminating the risk of corrosion, is proving to be a leap forward in securing an extended asset lifespan. Continue →

Tiny needle-like fibres that can become airborne if bedrock is disturbed has the potential to cause an asbestos-type disease, scientists warn The fibres come from a mineral called erionite which originates in silica-rich volcanic rock commonly found in many parts of the world and especially throughout the Auckland region. Continue →

A combined plea from three key infrastructure associations garners a partial response from a government accused of using shovel-ready projects for politicking ahead of the election Details of 59 projects were released on July 27 by the government’s Infrastructure Reference Group after infrastructure industry leaders and opposition party MPs had earlier called for the release of the government’s full list of shovel-ready projects. Continue →

Construction and infrastructure leaders are calling for urgency around the release of the government’s full list of ‘shovel-ready projects’ as increasing numbers of workers face redundancy and business confidence amongst construction and infrastructure companies nose-dives Early this month the Government announced it had selected 150 projects worth NZD$2.6b that would create or retain 20,000 jobs. Continue →

$2.6 billion of the shovel ready infrastructure fund has been allocated to 150 projects, but details on these projects are sorely needed for the infrastructure sector to plan its future workforce needs Ministers Robertson and Jones announced today that $2.6 billion of the $3 billion shovel ready fund has been allocated to 150 projects, with $400m still to be allocated. Continue →

The construction industry has now published a revised standard and protocols for ongoing operations under Level 1 The key changes from Level 2 are: The relaxing of physical distancing requirements on site. Continue →

Homeowners, builders and DIYers will soon have an easier time making basic home improvements as the Government scraps the need for consents for low-risk building work The Government is introducing new exemptions to the Building Act in a move save homeowners $18 million in consenting costs each year, though building work must still meet the Building Code, Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa announced today. Continue →