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Series 2015-2016: Best Managed Firms – Construction & Property Development

Laing O’Rourke: Committed to Engineering Excellence

by BVO December 22, 2015

written by BVO

A construction company with origins stretching from 1848, Laing O’Rourke is an international engineering and construction firm with operations in Australia, Canada, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

With 50 years of involvement in Australian construction and infrastructure – including a decade under the Laing O’Rourke banner, the business has delivered some of the country’s largest, most technically-complex projects within the oil and gas, transport, building construction, defence, airports, mining, marine, civil and social infrastructure sectors.

The organisation is committed to ensuring that sustainability becomes fundamental to the way it goes to work for its clients, and to embed a sustainability culture across the business and through the supply chain.

By identifying sustainability as a core value and establishing a global sustainability function, Laing O’Rourke has changed its thinking about project delivery at every level. From procurement processes and waste material management, to community engagement and innovation.

Laing O’Rourke is committed to the continual pursuit of innovation to secure Australia’s sustainable infrastructure future and has established a sustainability roadmap that provides direction across the entire company and sets targets up to 2020.

Sustainability Roadmap

In its efforts to promote clean technology, Laing O’Rourke has established a Sustainability Steering Committee which brings together senior leaders and subject matter experts from a range of disciplines. In 2014 a 7.5% reduction against 2010/11 baseline, in carbon emissions was achieved, which was 2.5% more than the target of a reduction of 5% that was set.

A number of innovative methods have been adopted to meet sustainability goals. One of these, an online ‘waste tracker’ system, brings all relevant information on to one platform. This has been met with great success in reducing wastage of raw materials.

Amongst the many innovative steps taken by the organisation to promote clean technologies, one that stands out is the world’s first fully portable large-scale solar –diesel hybrid power plant.

Will Rayward-Smith, Clean Technology Leader at Laing O’Rourke describes this unique initiative, “SunSHIFT is a technology that we have developed with the support of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

“For years, our industry has grappled with the challenges associated with powering off-grid operations in remote locations.

“Whenever we do construction at a remote location, we have to build a village to house our workers. Traditionally, that is powered by generators, which have a high diesel fuel consumption.

“Working with ARENA, we brought the SunSHIFT idea to reality, providing a versatile, competitive alternative to traditional diesel-powered generators.

“The 1 MW hybrid solar diesel plant includes 144 kWp of solar PV and has successfully supplied power to an accommodation village for one of our large construction projects in regional Queensland. The system was delivered, unpacked and fully functional in one week.

“That is just an example of something which we have developed in-house, manufactured and delivered for our own jobs. We are now in the process of taking it to external markets.”

The project was recently named winner of the 2015 Green Globe Awards for Environmental Innovation, an award recognising excellence in leadership and innovation, and named as a finalist for Sustainability in the International IET Innovation Awards.

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) provided $450,000 towards funding the $1.4 million pilot-scale project. ARENA’s CEO, Ivor Frischknecht said, “A semi-portable hybrid system like this carries enormous potential – it may provide industries and communities in regional and remote locations with a viable renewable energy alternative and could equally be used to assist in international relief efforts”.

Bringing innovation to the construction sector

Will Rayward-Smith says, “Construction has not been seen as an innovative sector but we are investing very heavily in research and development so that we can bring on board new technologies within the construction industry. We were awarded as the eighth most innovative company across all sectors in Australia in 2014 and again this year by Business Review Weekly.”

Laing O’Rourke has developed a concrete moulding technology that uses 3D printing to achieve an environmentally friendly and economical solution to the high-cost techniques currently prevalent. At present, most concrete moulding is done using materials such as timber, polystyrene, fibreglass and rubber mats. These are expensive materials and have the added disadvantage of resulting in high labour costs.

As these materials require large outlays of funds, it is essential to re-use them if they are to be economically viable. This results in repetitive concrete facades which take away from the aesthetics of the structure. To overcome this, Laing O’Rourke developed FreeFAB, a construction-scale 3D printing technology, which has resulted in the company being recognised as one of the most innovative in the country.

The patented technique uses wax that can be recycled to produce moulds, which are cheap and easy to make. In fact these can be produced in as little as a minute and cost just 4% of a similar timber version.

Engineering Excellence Group

Laing O’Rourke has established a unique in-house consultancy, the Engineering Excellence Group. This unit consists of experts from key engineering disciplines covering heavy civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, electronic, chemical process and manufacturing.

In addition to the company’s highly skilled and experienced personnel, the Engineering Excellence Group draws upon the expertise of external consultants at the highest levels to help Laing O’Rourke to devise engineering strategies that effect positive change and enhance the prestige of the profession.

The group serves four important purposes. The first is to act as an intellectual resource for Laing O’Rourke’s design and delivery business by providing the engineering expertise to address specific challenges.

Secondly, the group functions as an external consultant and in this role advises clients, governments, charities and not-for-profit organisations.

Thirdly, the Engineering Excellence Group plays a key role in the company’s research and development efforts. It has partnered with and supported some of the world’s leading universities, complemented by Laing O’Rourke’s own commercialised in-house research and development capability.

The fourth function that the group performs is that it supports education networks and acts as a thought leader in the development of stimulating education and training programs.

Strong focus on sustainability

Laing O’Rourke has put great emphasis on being environmentally friendly. Each of its activities is conducted keeping this critical factor in mind. In the short period in which it has been operating in Australia, it has earned the distinction of successfully delivering projects across a wide range of sectors to the highest standards possible.

Innovations such as SunSHIFT and FreeFAB have cemented Laing O’Rourke’s reputation as a company that has developed an extremely competent research and development capability.

Each of the company’s projects is a testament to its values and strong commitment to quality. The Australian Sustainability leader, Hollie Mapson describes the company, “We have a collaborative approach with clients and we take an innovative approach in all our contracts. We are not your average contractor. We have developed very good relationships with our clients and we deliver the best outcomes for them rather than simply delivering the bare minimum.

“We always go the extra mile and take the opportunity to add value whether that is in delivering the most efficient building that we can, whether it is in terms of the lowest cost or giving early occupation of the building by giving a program that is faster than our competitors. We spend a lot of time wanting to understand our clients. That is really what is different about us. We spend the time upfront getting to know our clients intimately.

The core value within our organisation is to challenge and change construction and we do not want to do it just within our company, we want to challenge the whole sector.”

AT A GLANCE

WHO: Laing O’Rourke

WHAT: Laing O’Rourke is an international engineering enterprise, founded on 166 years of experience.

WHERE: NSW 2060, Australia

WEBSITE: laingorourke.com

Supporting Partners & Preferred Vendors

Design & Construct
designandconstruct.com.au

Giro Construction Group

by BVO December 22, 2015

written by BVO

Giro Construction Group prides itself on being the company that can do the building jobs no one else can. Managing Partner Antonio Macri says this gives the company a point of difference.

“The difficult job is our niche where we can provide an effective service for a project that no one else can do or finds difficulty in completing” he says. “Some projects that we have built in the past have been on the side of rock faces or difficult to access in other ways

“For example, there might be a new house that needs to be constructed which is four of five levels into the side of the rock edge. We have that expertise where we can provide the construction of the whole house or building in a timely manner. We team up together with subcontractors and have a focus on providing a superior service, so the majority of our clients return to us or spread the word.”

The company had humble beginnings. It began with simple renovation projects in residential and commercial property. Over time, as word got out, the company began to grow.

It now works on a wide range of projects, ranging from maintenance projects to multi-million dollar developments. Their specialty is in the high end luxury market. They enjoy working on projects which are challenging and unique.

“We are multi-faceted. We do new construction, alterations, additions and extensions in residential units. We complete new commercial and medium density buildings. We do small works to maintenance to multi-million dollar projects in all sectors of the market.”

The Australian property market has been experiencing a record level of demand. With limited supply and strong interest from overseas investors, the current situation is similar to the property prices in New York and London.

Giro’s current turnover is between $1-3 million. Their aim is to reach $5-10 million in the next five years as the economy start to improve and consumer confidence increases. Before the economic downturn, the growth was much faster.

“Both directors play an active role in the business and in recent years the company has grown to a level where it now has a staff of 20.”

Aside from carpentry and labour, the trade work is subcontracted out. Macri believes this is a mutually beneficial process, as it increases the access to skilled workers and keeps costs down.

“It’s not viable to employ direct staff any more to complete various trades. But it’s a lot easier to get resources when they are externally sourced.”

There is no typical industry build. In one year they could be working on large and small scale projects. Giro works to bring their clients dream on paper to life.

“We can undertake anything from $5-10 million to $15-20 million but we would only undertake one or two such projects. But if it’s a lot smaller, say $1 million, we could do up to four or five projects at one time. Currently we are working on three projects, but they’re smaller jobs.”

If there is one regular mover in the market, it is the technological capabilities. Since it began operations, Giro has noticed the improvements it is able to make in its product offering with new technology.

“It is always changing and you need to stay on the edge to remain competitive. Materials change; there are new materials that are superior which always come on the market. A good example would be waterproofing or injection membrane systems. These have improved tremendously over the years. So it has a major influence on the industry. The more you stay ahead with new products, the better service you can provide to your clients.”

Subcontractors are the main people that Giro seeks to build long term working relationships with. A lot of the work they are involved with requires specialised trade skills. Together, they are able to provide a better product offering.

“And the client appreciates this. The majority of our subcontractors purchase material from our suppliers. Therefore we can ring them and have a conversation with them to find the best solution for our client.”

Green initiatives have gained great importance in the building industry. According to Macri, the use of green initiatives mainly depend on the project. As a lot of the projects Giro is responsible for come with pre-specified documentation so they take whatever steps they can to incorporate eco-friendly features.

“Green initiatives are generally are a good thing because they help reduce the impact on the environment. However it can also have a negative impact in respect to costs because some green products can be expensive to purchase. The architect or the designer will try and implement as much eco-friendly material or recycling to try reduce the impact on the environment to provide a better energy efficient house above and beyond BASIX. That is where the industry is starting to pick up. Where everyone is aware of the environmental impact and the after effects it can create.”

A lot of their clients tend to be one-off home owners, so word of mouth referrals is an important part of their business. Within the competitive construction industry, you are only as good as your last project. Giro is wary not to be too reliant on just one method of promotion. They also take their offering to the market in other ways.

“A lot of our marketing is word of mouth. So our last job is our best job because they provide the feedback to someone else. They say ‘oh you should use these people.’ At the same time we have an email marketing campaign that goes out every quarter to give people industry information and new products that they might find useful in the future.”

Growing the business, creating new job opportunities for staff and developing strong, trusting relationships are big mandates for the Giro Construction Group. Macri says there is no place in the business for someone who is not trustworthy or passionate.

“I look for people I can trust ultimately. They’ve also got to have that passion for the building industry or that passion to provide that service to us as they would for the client.”

Ultimately creating a strong relationship with the client is their biggest priority, as many client have become friends of Giro Construction and keep in contact on a regular basis.

AT A GLANCE

WHO: Giro Construction Group

WHAT: Giro is Sydney’s specialists in Residential & Commercial Construction, Developments & Project Management.

WHERE: NSW, Australia

WEBSITE: girogroup.com.au

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December 22, 2015 0 comments

Archive Construction November-December 2015 Series 2015-2016: Best Managed Firms - Construction & Property Development

Cox Architecture: Structure, Craft, Art and Nature

by BVO December 22, 2015

written by BVO

Cox Architecture is a design focused practice with a strong interest in public life. With studios based in each of Australia’s major cities its work ranges from small crafted urban and architectural interventions to major public buildings and infrastructure. Its current project list includes many global undertakings from Europe, through to the middle-east and Asia.

Although there is no prescribed language, its architecture is developed through an understanding of place and context. Structure, craft, art and nature are themes through which its design work is developed and interrogated.

An understanding that, at its core, architecture is fundamentally a platform for human activity, together with the attitude that buildings must ‘contribute more to the public domain than they take’ goes to the heart of the design philosophy of the practice.

Cox architecture undertakes architectural projects in the sports, education, research, housing, transport infrastructure, convention & exhibition, commercial and cultural sectors through all Australian cities as well as internationally. It is participant to shaping the future of many Australian cities though it’s many urban and planning projects.

Cox Architecture has been at the forefront of sustainable design and innovation and towards this end it has completed many projects which have earned the highest ratings from the Green Building Council, Australia (GBCA).

Alastair Baxter, Associate and National Manager of Sustainability and Michael Bradburn, Associate, Cox Architecture, explained that the firm has worked on a number of projects registered with the GBCA. Some of the projects, which have received the 6 Star Green Star rating from GBCA are:

University of Wollongong’s Sustainable Buildings Research Centre

The Sustainable Buildings Research Centre (SBRC) is the first certified 6 Star Green Star building in the Illawarra. Its 6 Star Green Star – Education Design v1 certified rating represents ‘World Leadership’ in environmentally sustainable design practices.

Designed by Cox Architecture, the SBRC is a facility where researchers are developing pioneering new technologies and systems to create effective places in which to work. The research extends to the development of solutions for both new and existing buildings.

The SBRC has several outstanding features, earning it the distinction of being one of the handful of buildings in the Australian Higher Education sector that has met GBCA’s exacting criteria.

The SBRC is a direct passive response to its coastal setting and place. It seeks to be:

Beautiful, inspiring and educational; Water, energy and carbon neutral; Socially responsible and equitable; and Non toxic and healthy.

“Bricolage” or the tinkering together an object from a diverse range of found things underpinned the approach to craft and material.

The design of the building ensures that it has extremely low energy consumption. In addition to this, it is equipped with solar rooftop panels with a 160kWp photovoltaic array. The building’s own power generation capacity along with its design, which ensures minimal electricity consumption, ensures that more power is generated than is used.

The building has an integrated power grid capable of simultaneous testing of multiple renewable energy generation sources and storage systems.

The SBRC incorporates an onsite rainwater harvesting and treatment system, enabling it to have net-zero water consumption. A grey water separation and natural reed bed treatment system enables re-use of grey water.

A fully integrated Green IT building management system has been provided. The SBRC is wired to measure and report on all aspects of sustainability including workgroup power consumption and water use.

Natural ventilation has been provided, with task-based, passive conditioning using various methods including ground source heating and cooling, solar walls, and solar thermal systems.

The SBRC uses locally sourced and environmentally safe construction materials. Michael Bradburn, who was the project architect, said, “We started with a directive to re-use locally available material, inherently addressing the embodied carbon and appropriate sourcing imperatives. The default approach to reused materials can be to restore them to look new.

“In the case of the reused brickwork in the SBRC, the preliminary design called for plaster and paint, concealing any evidence of their former life and imperfect nature.

“However, during construction, the patterns made by generations of pre-loved bricks expressed an imperfect beauty. The tangible history of the brick complemented by reused timber and steel creates a subconscious experience.”

Katitjin Centre, Australian Institute of Management

Katitjin Centre is the third stage of the Australian Institute of Management, Western Australia, a private not-for-profit organisation. It has been awarded a 6 Star Green Star – Education Design v1 certification.

Speaking about the assignment, Fred Chaney, Cox Architect’s Project Director, says, “The Katitjin Centre was always going to be a sustainable building. What we needed was a credible benchmark to substantiate the outcomes and ensure a higher level of rigour in the design and delivery process. In Australia, Green Star is the benchmark.”

The Centre is emissions-neutral, producing as much energy as it consumes. The orientation of the site allows the Katitjin Centre to benefit from high levels of daylight penetration while also reducing the building’s thermal loads. As a result, the air-conditioning and ventilation system consumes lower power and there is reduced requirement for electric-powered lighting in the building.

The structure incorporates a ventilation system which delivers high levels of fresh air, with the result that there is an improvement in both air flow and quality. The paints and carpets used in the Katitjin Centre contain extremely low levels of volatile organic compounds. These factors contribute to healthier classrooms with clean air and greater natural light levels, both of which contribute to enhanced learning outcomes.

The Katitjin Centre’s design has been adapted for Perth’s infrequent summer rains. Efficient fixtures and fittings have reduced the Centre’s water consumption and the water harvesting system is capable of meeting the entire monthly average demand for the Centre’s toilets.

Demolition and construction work generates large volumes of waste. A number of initiatives taken for its management resulted in over 80% of the waste generated during the construction of the building being recycled or reused. This was achieved by working closely with the contractor tasked with this assignment.

The methodology adopted by Cox Architecture ensured that its design incorporated all the elements necessary to earn the Katitjin Centre a 6 Star Green Star rating.

The Australian Institute of Management’s Executive Director, Patrick Cullen, praises the Green Star process for providing “an additional level of rigour in the design and delivery of the Katitjin Centre. Most importantly it has provided a common metric and language for the project team to apply during the design and construction, as well as external validation and auditing of the building’s sustainability credentials.”

William McCormack Place 2

Stage 2 of William McCormack Place is the first building in regional Australia to be awarded a 6 Star Green Star Office Design v2 rating. The building accommodates a number of Queensland government departments including the Department of Communities and the Department of Environment and Resource Management.

The Queensland government’s original brief was to achieve a minimum 5 Star Green Star rating. However, the design elements permitted the William McCormack Place 2 to attain the coveted 6 Star Green Star rating. This was the first instance of a 6 Star rating being awarded to a building in a tropical area.

William McCormack Place 2 has implemented a range of innovative approaches, especially in the energy and water categories. High-efficiency, low-noise single-blade ceiling fans have been installed throughout the open-plan zones to improve air mixing and allow for the elimination of separately ducted perimeter and core-supply zones. This has resulted in a reduction of the amount of ducting required.

The project has achieved significant reductions in emissions, energy and potable water use and this cumulatively results in a yearly saving of $450,000. There is a 60% reduction in energy emissions, which translates into lowering carbon dioxide emissions by 1000 tonnes per year. The building has also achieved a 40% reduction in demand from the electricity grid.

William McCormack Place 2 incorporates sunshading, double glazing, greywater and stormwater reuse and its fire escape stairs work without pressurisation.

In a unique feature, the building uses automated blinds and screens with visual light transmittance of less than 10%. These are equipped with manual overrides and serve to reduce daylight glare. Another design feature, which reduces glare, is the provision of flat-screen, mounted workstation monitors that can be manually adjusted.

The carpets, tenancy fit-out items, adhesives and sealants used have low quantities of volatile organic compounds and composite wood-products have low -formaldehyde emissions.

Cox Architecture is well-prepared to meet the challenges that lie ahead

In addition to its expertise in the field of architecture, the firm offers planning and urban design services and interior design services. The Yulara Township at Uluru (Ayers Rock) is a testament to the firm’s planning and urban design skills.

Initially, the firm’s interior design work was focused upon its own projects, but demand from clients led to the acceptance of stand-alone assignments. Consequently, since the late 1990s, Cox Architecture has become one of Australia’s best recognised interior designers.

With expertise in a wide variety of projects, Cox Architecture is ideally positioned to take advantage of the opportunities in its field. The firm has gained a reputation for being a leader in designing Green Star projects. The demand for this skill will grow as the awareness about green initiatives is rising.

An increasing number of clients are realising that although Green Star rated projects may entail a higher capital investment, the cost-saving over the years after construction is many times the extra initial outlay.

AT A GLANCE

WHO: Cox Architecture

WHAT: COX is one of few truly national built environment design practices in Australia.

WHERE: 3QLD 4000, Australia

WEBSITE: coxarchitecture.com.au

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December 22, 2015 0 comments

Archive Construction September-October 2015 Series 2015-2016: Best Managed Firms - Construction & Property Development

Tomkins Commercial & Industrial Builders: Where Building Relationships is a Family Tradition

by BVO September 30, 2015

written by BVO

The Tomkins family entered the construction business in Queensland three generations ago in 1951, when Ted Tomkins established the E.D. Tomkins building company. Over the last six decades the family owned and managed enterprise has grown and thrived and is currently one of the most respected builders in Queensland with a reputation for successfully completing the most complex and demanding projects.

Mike Tomkins, owner and director of Tomkins Commercial & Industrial Builders Pty Ltd did his apprenticeship as a carpenter in the family business. Today he runs an award winning building company which has executed a number of large and high profile projects across a diverse range of sectors including commercial, industrial and residential.

Although the company has grown rapidly in size and scope handles single projects up to a value of $60 million, it is still very much a family business, with Mike’s son Brendan working as a project manager, his daughter Rachel as a marketing manager, and father Vince also involved with the business as warehouse manager.

Speaking about the growth of the business, Mike Tomkins says, “Originally we were residential / semi-commercial builders. We did different types of projects over the years until about 18 years ago. At that time we got out of residential and into commercial. Ever since then we have grown the business in the commercial sector.

“We have become accredited by the Queensland government and have also been empanelled as a Category “A” contractor by the Brisbane Airport Corporation. We currently operate out of Brisbane and work all along the East Coast of Australia.”

Currently the organisation takes up projects in the residential, commercial, industrial and institutional areas and caters to customers ranging from hotels and resorts to the health and education sectors.

Capability to Complete Large and Complex Projects

In mid-2014 Tomkins Commercial & Industrial Builders was selected to design and construct 100 apartments over eight storeys above three basement levels for the Radius Apartments project. The building assignment is extremely challenging, with the construction site located alongside the Queensland Transport Rail Corridor.

The project, which is targeted to be completed in 74 weeks from the date of commencement was awarded to Tomkins as the organisation has a well-deserved reputation for taking up and successfully completing challenging building jobs.

Another prestigious assignment executed by Tomkins has been the DHL Express Logistics design and construct project which was the result of full tender process and is a testament to the excellent relationship the company enjoys with the Brisbane Airport Corporation.

The scope of work involved partial demolition of an adjacent building occupied by DHL and the construction of the new DHL Express Gateway & Service Centre, comprising of 3,500 square metres of warehouse and 780 square metres of offices. The work also entailed 2,650 square metres of heavy duty external paving, stand-alone power generation systems and state of the art services and management systems.

At the time of the completion of the project, Brisbane Airport Corporation’s representative issued a testimonial to Tomkins stating, “I would like to take this opportunity to express mine and BAC’s appreciation for a successful outcome to the DHL Gateway facility project.

“From the outset, I believe both parties invested heavily in the relationship between the two organisations, with a collaborative and positive working relationship between the BAC project team and the entire Tomkins onsite crew.

“The experience with Tomkins has been one of responsiveness in resolving our issues and delivering a building to BAC’s high standards and tight timeframes in what was a very difficult project.”

In fact, Tomkins Commercial & Industrial Builders considers its relationship with its clients as one of its most important priorities. It has also used this philosophy to great success with its suppliers and sub-contractors. Holcim has had Tomkins as a customer for several decades and a number of sub-contractors have enjoyed rapid growth because of the work allotted to them by Tomkins.

Mike Tomkins has established a practice of personally mentoring several sub-contractors and meets with them once a month to provide advice and share his experience gained in the construction industry over a period exceeding 30 years. This has resulted in Tomkins Commercial & Industrial Builders enjoying the support of reliable and trustworthy sub-contractors and at the same time, enabling the sub-contractors to become large businesses in their own right.

Tomkins Commercial & Industrial Builders has also been awarded the contract to build 34 luxury boutique riverfront apartments at Newport, Hamilton Reach by the Singapore-listed Frasers Property (then Australand).

The apartments will go up over five levels in two and three bedroom configurations with one level of basement parking, and features a spacious air-conditioned lobby with secure lift access and a private swimming pool and central tropical garden.

Awards

Tomkins has won a number of awards in recognition of the excellent quality of its work.

In 2015 it won in the category of Best Education Facility over $5 million (Brisbane) for its work at the Australian Catholic University Building. In the current year it has also won the Best Retail Facility (Sunshine Coast) Award for the work carried out at the Beerwah Shopping Village, and best Commercial Facility under $5 million (Central Queensland) Award for the Transit Systems Gladstone project.

In 2014 the company was awarded in the Best Sport & Community Facility up to $5 million (Gold Coast) category for the work it did at the Ahamadiyya Muslim Association Community Centre. It also received the Civil Contractor of the Year (Central Queensland) Award for the job executed at the Carinya Drive Stabilisation project.

Strong Commitment to Customers

Tomkins has seen rapid growth in the number of projects that it is involved in and in the value of these projects. Interestingly, business expansion took place from 2008 onwards, when the rest of the building industry experienced a slow-down. The foundations for this growth had been laid by the company in the earlier years by building a base of highly satisfied customers.

The company has been giving equal focus to private work and to institutional customers. In the last few years it has won a number of high-value jobs amongst which a $20 million project for the Australian Catholic University is a notable example.

It executed the complete assignment in a record 11 months and earned high praise from the customer in the process. The Associate Vice-Chancellor Brisbane, Professor Jim Nyland, made specific mention of the accommodating nature of the team from Tomkins and specified in a written testimonial that they were easy to work with and very competent.

In its effort to provide a full range of services to its clients, the company launched Tomkins Special Projects, which specialises in smaller jobs of up to $5 million. This division handles small construction refurbishments, restaurants and other low value work. But Tomkins gets large volumes of business from jobs in the $15 million to $40 million range.

In this manner, Tomkins Commercial & Industrial Builders ensures that it caters to the complete requirements of its clients. Above all, Mike Tomkins ensures that all dealings are handled with integrity and the highest level of ethics. To implement these principles, he is at the forefront of business operations and plays an active role in each and every project.

Special emphasis is laid on training staff, with the objective of keeping them up to date with the latest technologies and developments in the building industry. Development opportunities are provided to existing employees and Tomkins also offers a range of cadetships and apprenticeships across its business to new entrants.

All these steps have led to putting Tomkins Commercial & Industrial Builders in a position to provide clients with the highest level of workmanship in the jobs that it undertakes. In the process the company has built up strong relationships with all key industry stakeholders. As a result of all these factors, Tomkins receives large volumes of repeat business from past clients.

Building is a Relationship, Not Just a Contract

Turnover has steadily increased over the years, and is expected to touch $100 million in the current year. Tomkins has steadily built up its capabilities and is currently in a position to complete projects ranging in scope and value up to $60 million.

But despite rapid growth, Tomkins has remained true to its roots and places great value on the deep bonds that it has established and nurtured over the years with its customers.

Mike Tomkins summarises his philosophy, “The brand in the market is around our last name. Most people who know me know that I will handshake them at the end of the day and deliver what I promised. It is a little bit old fashioned and old school, the way that we do business, but it works.

“It doesn’t matter whether it is a small job or a large job or an institutional client or a private client, we pay equal attention to all of them. We get our repeat business in this way and this is the reason why our business has been so successful. It is not about today, it is about the relationship with the client.”

AT A GLANCE

WHO: Tomkins Commercial & Industrial Builders

WHAT: They design and construct a wide variety of dynamic commercial, industrial and residential projects including special heritage ventures to each client’s unique specifications.

WHERE: Banyo QLD 4014

WEBSITE: http://tomkinscommercial.com.au/

Supporting Partners & Preferred Vendors

Adcon
http://adconqld.com.au/

Aston Air-Conditioning
http://astonair.com.au/

Ausreo
http://www.ausreo.com.au/

Bojac
Phone: 07 3809 3658

Brisbane Pump Action
Phone: 07 3888 2660

Traffic Control Innovations
http://tcinnovations.com.au/

Vancisco Industries
http://www.vanciscoindustries.com.au/

Wahoo Air Conditioning
http://www.wahooairconditioning.com.au/

John Holland: Australia’s Leading Construction Company

by BVO September 30, 2015

written by BVO

John Holland’s expertise covers a wide range of contracting and service capabilities, from building and civil construction solutions in the infrastructure sector to the delivery of major tunnelling, water and environment, energy, minerals, and industrial projects in the energy and resources sector.

John Holland is part of the China Communications Constructions Company (CCCC), one of the world’s largest infrastructure construction organisations. CCCC is ranked #187 on the Fortune 500 list and #4 in Global Contractors by Engineering News Record and is an acknowledged leader in the execution of complex infrastructural projects including bridges, high speed rail, deep water port development and social infrastructure.

John Holland is a tier 1 contractor with a large number of highly successful projects to its credit. The company is also a leading provider of services to the transport sector, with industry leading expertise and capability in railway construction, operations and maintenance.

Green Star Initiatives

Issues such as resource scarcity, urbanization, population growth, ecological decline and climate change are of great importance to John Holland and the company is actively participating with other industry stakeholders to suitably address future social needs.

John Holland has adopted sustainable practices and implemented them throughout the organisation in its effort to effectively manage future risks, increase positive social outcomes whilst reducing environmental impact. It is an active member of the Green Building Council of Australia, Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia, Sustainable Built Environment National Research Centre, Australian Constructors Association’s Sustainability Working Party and is a founding member of the Australian Supply Chain Sustainability School.

The Green Building Council of Australia has instituted various rating tools to assess the impact of design, construction and operation of buildings. The Green Star rating tool assesses the social and environmental attributes that relate to the design and construction activities carried out by construction companies. John Holland has excelled in the construction of such projects:

Kings Square 1 (KS1)

KS1 is a commercial high rise tower located in the Perth City Link Precinct, part of one of Australia’s most significant CBD urban renewal developments. The building offers 23,156 square metres of A Grade commercial office space across 19 levels with 680 square metres of ground floor retail.

The tower features advanced energy efficient systems, locally sourced materials and efficient destination controlled lifts amongst a host of other features resulting in a 5-Star Green Star rating being awarded to the project.

Medical Science 1 & 2, Tasmania

The company’s expertise in this area is exemplified by the University of Tasmania’s (UTAS) Medical Sciences Precinct, which became the first educational building in Tasmania to achieve a Green Star rating for environmental design.

The precinct includes the $42 million UTAS Medical Science 1 stage, a five-storey structure and refurbishment of a student accommodation building. The second stage, MS2, was valued at $62 million and houses clinical research facilities for the Menzies Research Institute, UTAS School of Medicine and the Royal Hobart Hospital.

The 5-Star Green Star – Education Design v1 rating awarded by the Green Building Council of Australia was based on a number of key innovations implemented by John Holland. These included an 80,000 litre rainwater harvesting tank serving toilets, solar hot water, energy-efficient lighting units with proximity sensor activation and daylight controls.

The building also has a number of other features to make it energy efficient. Extensive contoured sun shading serves to reduce power consumption. Thermal insulation breaks in the precast panels and high performance glazing systems serve the same purpose.

Provision has been made for rain water storage for use in toilets and for landscape irrigation. Outgoing water is treated before being pumped away. The interiors use natural rubber-based flooring, recycled timber and recycled content carpets. The entire construction activity has been done using sustainable materials.

The award-winning building provides facilities for 1,000 undergraduate students and office and laboratory facilities for 450 staff and postgraduate students. The company has succeeded in erecting a building which not only provides excellent facilities for students and staff, but also minimises the environmental impact.

John Holland’s and UTAS’s commitment to sustainable practices have also resulted in UTAS being conferred the Australasian Campuses Towards Sustainability Award of Excellence and the MBA National Commercial/Industrial Construction Award ($50 million to $100 million category).

University of Tasmania, Institute of Marine and Antarctic Sciences

John Holland executed the University of Tasmania’s Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) project where it successfully achieved a 5-Star Green Star rating. The $40 million facility is situated on Hobart’s Princes Wharf No 2 site in Sullivan’s Cove.

The project has been jointly promoted by the University of Tasmania, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and the Tasmanian government to explore and conserve Australia’s Southern Ocean and Antarctic Territories.

The IMAS building project is an initiative of the Australian Government which falls under its Education Investment Fund. The facility has a gross floor area of over 7,500 square metres and provides a suite of managed learning spaces. Lecture theatres and research hubs complement general and specific laboratories, some requiring physical and quarantine containment.

The construction involved the creation of controlled temperature and centralised culture facilities. All aspects of the building including its layout, orientation, façade treatment, material selection and building servicing were executed keeping in mind the UTAS brief to achieve a 5-Star Green Star design rating.

A number of specific features have been incorporated into the construction to make the building eco-friendly and give it a design that reduces its carbon footprint. Appropriate sun shading and management of solar thermal loads has been provided for.

The design allows natural daylight ingress to the inner part of each floor plate via skylights and central voids. The building is naturally ventilated and its design allows effective cooling and air change. John Holland received the Master Builders Association, Tasmania Award for ‘Commercial Building $20 – $50 million’ category for this project.

University of Newcastle Student Accommodation, Newcastle

Another contract for which John Holland has earned accolades for the implementation of eco-friendly concepts in its planning, design and construction, is the University of Newcastle student accommodation project. Four eight-storey towers were erected, with a total of 335 apartments accommodating 778 beds.

Each building was provided with a ground floor common area, a combination of apartments including six, five, two and one bedroom configurations as well as studios and a multi-use common room on each floor.

The buildings have been built to a 4-Star Green Star Design rating, which includes the installation of a cross-ventilation system and features the largest hydronic heating system installation in Australia.

Project Manager, Glen O’Connor says, “Natural energy is used to heat and cool the apartments through a cross-ventilation system with hollow core concrete floor planks acting as ducts, and a natural gas hydronic water system with 910 heating outlets. These features have a significant positive impact on the building’s internal environment, and provide a long-term advantage to cost saving and future building maintenance.”

John Holland has 16 Green Star-qualified staff members participating in the Green Building Council of Australia’s continual professional development program. Eleven staff members have completed IS Foundation Training with the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia.

The company’s green initiatives and practices have served to differentiate it from its competitors and establish John Holland as a leading Australian construction firm for clients who wish to contribute towards preserving the environment.

The Way Ahead

Over the years John Holland has gained experience in a wide range of industries and sectors and has a well-deserved reputation for being a highly competent and capable construction firm. Now that it has become a part of the China Communications Construction Company Ltd, it will have even greater scope as it will be able to leverage the opportunities offered by its parent.

With increasing stress being laid on sustainability and green issues, John Holland is at a distinct advantage as it has attained numerous Green Star ratings for its work. The company has embedded sustainable practices in every part of its business in a manner that enables it to intelligently weigh the economic, environmental, social and governance aspects on its long-term ability to prosperously sustain the business and the communities in which it operates.

John Holland is well-positioned to take advantage of its unique set of skills and experience to benefit from the projected growth in Australian infrastructure and to capitalise on the new possibilities presented by virtue of being a subsidiary of one of the largest international construction companies.

AT A GLANCE

WHO: John Holland

WHAT: They have been providing innovative high – performance engineering and construction solutions for more than 65 years.

WHERE: Melbourne VIC 3004

WEBSITE: http://www.johnholland.com.au/

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Lewence Construction: A Culture of Excellence

by BVO September 30, 2015

written by BVO

A Sydney-based building and construction company, Lewence Construction, has gained quick recognition as a reliable and trustworthy organisation in the eight years since it was established. The company has a record of fulfilling its commitments in all the projects that it has undertaken and its customers appreciate the high quality of workmanship that Lewence Construction brings to each assignment.

The company was started by Loui Abouhamad who combined his civil engineering and building qualifications to form Lewence Construction. Describing the initial project that he undertook in the new company, he says, “Our first project was for 75 residential units and that was quite a task in itself. I was pretty much hands-on in that project. I did the both the construction & project management while playing a key role in the finalisation of the structural design.

“We also got an estimator on board and he helped me with the administration and the contract management. As the construction work progressed we started getting some more help in terms of supervision staff on site. I was able to step back and manage the building project as well as manage our company.”

Range of Activities

The company has made rapid progress since then and currently its range of activities include multi-unit construction, development consulting, building residential homes, and remedial and maintenance work.

Multi-unit construction is an area in which Lewence Construction has a high degree of expertise. Many of the company’s employees have extensive work experience in this field and this has been put to good use in a number of completed and on-going projects. An added advantage that the company has, is its strong familiarity with state and local authority requirements.

Every aspect of the work carried out by Lewence Construction is in adherence with the applicable regulations. This ensures that the project proceeds smoothly and is not held up for any approval.

The company is also knowledgeable about design and in many instances customers involve Lewence Construction at the inception of the project so that cost effective measures are taken at the initial stage itself.

Development Consulting is another field in which Lewence Construction has great experience. Before initiating a project, a client needs to take into account various factors including project finance, design and construction and facilities management. It is always advisable to consider all these aspects before the project details are finalised. The company’s strong technical know-how ensures that all potential risks are taken into consideration and the necessary pre-emptive action taken to prevent losses.

Residential Home construction is a prime focus area for the company. Every project that Lewence Construction takes up is initiated only after gaining a deep understanding of the client’s requirements and needs. This approach has ensured that the company has achieved a high level of customer satisfaction in each of its assignments in this category.

Remedial work is a niche area which Lewence Construction has targeted and is actively growing. This activity involves carrying out maintenance and compliance upgrades to homes and strata buildings. The company’s close familiarity with building regulations allows it to carry out this work with a high degree of effectiveness.

As an added service, Lewence Construction’s administrative office communicates regularly with residents and sub-contractors so that there is as little inconvenience as possible caused to the occupants of the homes and strata buildings during the course of the work.

Customer-centric Approach and Team Development

Lewence Construction has achieved great success in its entire range of activities which encompass development and construction, contract administration and project management. The company approaches each assignment with the objective of exceeding the client’s expectations.

Tristram-Street,-Ermington---rear

Principal, Loui Abouhamad, has extensive hands-on experience in the construction field in addition to the number of years he has spent in senior management roles in the private and public sectors. In addition to this, he brings his consulting background to Lewence Construction along with the practical knowledge that he has gained in managing residential and commercial developments, road and rail projects, and remediation works.

While the company keeps the client’s requirements as the focus of all its activities, it ensures the success of each project by deploying its highly talented and multi-skilled manpower to the task at hand. Each member of the Lewence Construction team has vast experience and knowledge, which is constantly updated by having them attend training courses to keep up with the latest developments.

Loui pays close attention to the skill-set that each team member possesses and ensures that in addition to attending formal programs, each employee is given the required on-the-job training. He leads by example and adheres strictly to the official hierarchy so that each worker, foreman and manager remains involved in the project and delivers the best possible outcome.

Speaking about this, Loui says, “I like to be hands-on in terms of being visible on site. But I let the site personnel take control of the work. My site foreman and the project manager make the decisions at the site. A lot of times, bosses tend to walk on to the site and give direct instructions to the workmen.

“But I find that such an approach negatively affects the atmosphere on site. I like to put the problem on the table and let my team work at it. If there is an issue on site that I can see or at the office, I call the project manager and the foreman and have a quick chat about what should be done to fix the problem.

“I let them take charge of the work. I find that this helps the staff to gain experience and grow with the company. They increase their confidence and skills, and their trust in me.”

093

Strong Relationships with Suppliers

Lewence Construction attaches great importance to developing strong customer relationships. It does not readily switch suppliers unless there is a very compelling reason to do so. The company is of the view that changing suppliers for the sake of a minor reduction in rate is counter-productive. Instead, it adopts an approach whereby it remains loyal to one supplier for its requirements.

This strategy has been of tremendous benefit to the company and has often helped it to keep the commitments that it has made to its clients.

Concrite, which is a leading supplier of pre-mixed concrete has been associated with Lewence Construction for several years. In a testimonial to the company, Concrite has said, “Over the last few years Concrite has had the privilege of working with Loui and his team on a few Sydney projects. Each one turning into an asset to the residential landscape of our City of Sydney.

“The working relationship, in its entirety, was found to be professional, while at the same time rewarding. The planning and execution of the supply of concrete worked well, with emphasis on quality and safety taking a leading role in the process.”

Delivering Uncompromising Excellence

Lewence Construction’s turnover on an annual basis is $10 million. The company does about two major projects in a year and three or four smaller projects. While it prefers doing residential projects it is equally capable of executing commercial projects to the satisfaction of the client. Loui’s background as a consultant helps him to organise and lead the activities in a manner that reduces costs and completes assignments effectively.

The availability of wireless communication technology has greatly enhanced the volume of work that Lewence Construction can handle. The company has a practice of installing computers on every site so that people at head office have access to all relevant information. The improvement in the flow of information allows the foreman at site to be in touch with the head office in real time.

It is possible for him to send a query along with documentation and obtain a decision or a solution very quickly. The company has also created a number of checklists which the foreman on site is required to complete periodically. This information is collated at head office and forms a crucial input for the decision making process.

The use of checklists also helps Lewence Construction obtain information from contractors and this is very useful as it reveals the work remaining at site.

In this manner, the company has implemented a number of well thought-out procedures that enable it to closely monitor developments, identify problems and address them quickly. Strict adherence to these procedures translates into well-managed projects that are completed on time and within budget.

Lewence Construction also has a practice of conducting regular meetings on site, with not only the client but also the finance and the design teams. This allows all relevant issues to be discussed in an open forum and the way forward can be decided upon after obtaining all relevant inputs.

The company is very particular about site management and, as a standard practice, always ensures that the site is kept clean and organised. This also helps to reduce the chance of downtime due to injuries or mishaps on site.

Ultimately the success of any construction company is determined by the satisfaction level of its clients. In this respect, Lewence Construction has fared well and has a large number of customers who speak highly about the company and Loui’s abilities.

Explaining the importance of maintaining strong relationships with clients, Loui says, “At the moment I am in a situation where all my clients are repeat customers and these are relationships that I have developed from my days as a project manager. It has been a long process. All the clients have known me for more than seven or eight years and they want someone they can trust, who is upfront and honest about everything.”

AT A GLANCE

WHO: Lewence Construction

WHAT: A philosophy which impacts on every aspect including: design, construction, development and administration.

WHERE: NSW 2152, Australia

WEBSITE: http://lewence.com.au/

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Archive Construction September-October 2015 Series 2015-2016: Best Managed Firms - Construction & Property Development

Pritchard Francis: Setting New Standards in Civil and Structural Engineering

by BVO September 30, 2015

written by BVO

Specialising in structural and civil engineering, Pritchard Francis is a leading consultancy based out of Perth. The company also has a regional office in Broome, Western Australia, which services the Kimberly area and beyond. Initially established as a structural engineering consultancy in 1977, Pritchard Francis expanded into civil engineering and more recently lead consulting.

The company currently has a staff of approximately 70 and is involved in a wide variety of projects across Western Australia. When Pritchard Francis started operations it had a strong customer focus on providing optimal design solutions to each client. This resulted in a large volume of repeat business and the company has expanded rapidly over recent years.

James Leiper, Project Engineer, says “We have tried to keep client service as our sole focus and this has developed a good reputation in the industry. As the company expanded and started to employ more people we were awarded bigger jobs. In the last 10 to 15 years the company has really boomed as we moved into different areas and clients have trusted us knowing that we do a good job.

“Now we have got a number of large assignments across different industries. We operate in the industrial, commercial and residential sectors. We are also in the resource sector, land development and several other industries.”

Civil Engineering

The firm is highly skilled in Civil Engineering and has several decades of experience working in this area. The land development industry utilises the company’s expertise in bulk earthworks projects. This work is primarily for greenfield land development for residential, commercial and industrial applications.

Pritchard Francis has executed bulk earthworks projects for educational facilities and commercial sites across Western Australia. The Civil Engineering team’s work includes feasibility studies and due diligence, planning concept design, detailed design and documentation, approval processes, site supervision and contract administration.

Having executed many projects of this type, Pritchard Francis’ team will identify key issues applicable to a project at the modelling stage and ensure these issues are successfully managed.

In July, 2014, the company completed the Precinct 3, Port Hedland bulk earthworks project. Pritchard Francis completed the initial due diligence for the 70 hectare site located adjacent to the Port Hedland International Airport. Subsequently the company was involved with the concept design, detailed design and documentation and tender documentation.

A total of 39 lots were developed at the site which presented several unique challenges including the provision of services to a site relatively remote from existing infrastructure, the necessity to carry out flood modelling and the importing of substantial volumes of fill material.

Pritchard Francis has also gained significant experience in site remediation projects. This sector has grown as sites previously too expensive to develop or at the end of their original use are identified for regeneration. The Bentley Regeneration Project valued at $30 million is a good example of this category. The site covers an area of 25 hectares on which the Department of Housing is looking to provide 1500+ residential units.

Structural Engineering

Pritchard Francis’ structural engineering team believe positive outcomes result from sound engineering principles. They place importance on understanding a client’s specific requirements and having experience in specialised areas, these elements are fundamental to maintaining excellence in engineering consulting. Working and communicating within a team environment to integrate aesthetic design and functionality is critical to a successful project, this is an important component of Pritchard Francis’ success.

Aged care accommodation has seen rapid growth in the recent past. The requirements in this sector have changed and facilities often provide multiple services such as low care / high care, special areas for dementia sufferers and units for independent living.

Construction of aged care accommodation requires a great level of expertise as they need to provide a number of supporting facilities for residents. Traditional construction is not in a position to meet all these requirements. Pritchard Francis has completed a number of large aged care facilities within Western Australia and its projects have been received very well.

The RAAFA Bull Creek Development at Perth involved the redevelopment of an existing 11 hectare aged care facility over an extended period. The project consisted of two stages, with the first involving a 108 new bed accommodation facility in two six-storey residential buildings. The second stage incorporated a new respite care facility with 100 accommodation units over two storeys with undercroft parking.

Speaking about the company’s projects, James Leiper says, “We usually have over one hundred projects in the business at any one time in a wide range of industries. In the last couple of years some of the more notable amongst these have been the Wheatstone and Gorgon projects which have kept a lot of us busy for a number of months.”

The Wheatstone Non Process Infrastructure Buildings project is located at Onslow, Western Australia. This $240 million project was completed in 2015 and involved the structural design and documentation for the plant, which incorporated a total of 12 buildings and other miscellaneous structures.

Pritchard Francis’ expertise in Blast Engineering was put to good use as the structures were governed by blast pressures up to 50 times larger than wind. In conjunction with the sub-contractors the company was involved in research and development of cladding materials simulating cyclonic wind and blast loading. The excellent quality of work resulted in the company being awarded additional assignments from Chevron.

Another major project completed by Pritchard Francis in 2015 was the execution of the Gorgon General Administration Buildings at Barrow Islands. This $180 million project had the company providing lead, civil and structural consultant roles for the development.

The permanent administration buildings included a fire station, workshop and warehouse. The site was extremely difficult to work on due to cyclonic conditions and flooding. This project was a landmark achievement for the company and has set the stage for procuring more assignments that require the specialised capabilities developed within the company.

Technology

Pritchard Francis utilises cutting edge technology and owes a large part of its success to keeping up-to-date with the latest developments in its fields of expertise. James Leiper says, “On the design side of things computers are making Engineering so much more efficient and it is also allowing us to offer more efficient solutions.

“We have a lot of technical expertise in areas like blast design and this would not be viable without the computer modelling that we use. As far as documentation goes we have readily embraced building information modelling which is basically about drawing a 3D model of any structure within a virtual construction model.

“We are using this on every new structural project. This helps the project timeline and is sometimes used for the operation and maintenance of the building as well. Moving forward, building operators will have a 3D model that they can use to find out if any maintenance is needed or if they want any work done they can make use of the model. This technology is rapidly evolving and we make sure that we are the forefront of any new development in the area.”

Sustainability

When awarding projects, most companies specify that they would like to lower their impact on the environment. Historically, one of the biggest problems with implementing sustainable designs was quantifying and verifying the benefits derived from these efforts.

The Green Star environmental rating system implemented by the Green Building Council of Australia has provided a solution. Pritchard Francis has worked on several jobs where it has achieved four and five star ratings. The company has five staff members who have gone through the Green Star accreditation process. This enables the firm to actively contribute to discussions during the design process and to work towards the most sustainable solution within the time and cost constraints.

Pritchard Francis has a strong focus on its existing clients and is constantly on the lookout for new market sectors to work within. It is concentrating on the sustainable design aspect as the company is of the view that this will gain greater importance in the coming years, especially with topical climate change issues and environmental issues.

Commenting on the way forward for Pritchard Francis, James Leiper says, “I think life-cycle analysis is going to become a lot more common on projects as the benefits to be reaped are huge. People will realise that some design options might be a bit more expensive at the beginning but if you look at the life-cycle of those products and those systems there are substantial savings to be realised. As a result clients are going to be more willing to adopt those kind of approaches. This side of our business is going to be a real selling point.”

AT A GLANCE

WHO: Pritchard Francis

WHAT: Pritchard Francis is an award winning Civil & Structural Engineering Consultancy based in Western Australia.

WHERE: WA Subiaco 6904

WEBSITE: http://www.pfeng.com.au/

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Archive September-October 2015 Series 2015-2016: Best Managed Firms - Construction & Property Development

Riverstone Custom Homes: Luxury Homebuilders

by BVO September 30, 2015

written by BVO

Established in Perth in 1995, Riverstone Custom Homes has earned a reputation as a builder of some of the most luxurious and high-end homes in the city and its surrounding areas. All its projects have an upmarket finish and each Riverstone Custom Home is individually designed and built to the specifications of the client.

Riverstone is a family owned and managed enterprise, with Tim Marshall as its Operations Director. Customer focus is at the heart of Riverstone’s operations, with each project being given special attention to ensure that it addresses the specific needs of the client.

Tim says, “Our clients are heavily involved in all aspects of the process of building their homes from the design, to making the selections for the finishes to the home. During construction we have regular site meetings and correspondence with our clients. We find that some customers visit the site every day because they enjoy seeing the progress of the construction work. Many clients enjoy being involved in the process with us.”

The budget for a Riverstone Custom Home starts at $500,000 and can go up to $4-5 million. Within this price bracket the building project can have a range of complexity. The construction itself may take place on 1000 square metre blocks or even on as little as a 200 square metre block.

Riverstone prides itself on being able to offer fixed and accurate pricing. Being a design and build company with two decades of experience, it is in a position to estimate costs with a great degree of accuracy. At the inception of each project the client is given a clear picture about the time and cost estimates and over the years Riverstone has delivered on its commitment of providing high quality homes within budget and by the targeted date.

One of the unique features that Riverstone Custom Homes offers is that clients get a complete home into which they can move immediately. The homeowner does not need to incur any further costs and the price which is settled at the inception of the project is all-inclusive.

Speaking about Riverstone’s approach to meeting and exceeding the client’s requirements, Tim Marshall says, “Being a custom builder we allow our clients to make changes both in the initial designs and also during the project if they find something they have missed or overlooked. We accommodate their request even though it can be quite difficult for us to implement. We want our clients to be very happy with their homes when we have finished.”

The company has designed a unique method, which it utilises to give each client an opportunity at every stage of the project, to participate in the design and construction process. The various stages are:

First Meeting

At this stage the client is encouraged to share ideas about every detail of the proposed home to be constructed. Discussions are held to understand the exact requirements. The Riverstone Consultant spends time to get an idea about family size and how the occupants will spend their time at home.

Every requirement of the client is taken note of and at this stage the company’s experience of two decades comes into good use. The Riverstone Consultant can also contribute by suggesting how to make the best use of the available space to design a luxury home.

Riverstone has a policy of not hurrying the process and the client is free to request additional meetings to clarify any doubts.

Site Visit

This is the essential next step as it allows the Riverstone team to get an idea about the physical layout of the block. At this stage it is possible to plan the view from the various parts of the home and decide on other matters which can be taken up only at the site.

Concept Design

In this phase the design of the home is finalised and the client will have an opportunity to view a 3D elevation of the proposed structure. This will allow the prospective homeowner to visualise what the completed project will actually look like. The budget for the project is also finalised at this juncture.

Describing this step Tim Marshall says, “When we do our drawings everything we do is modelled in 3D now and that really helps us during the construction process. Being able to model our homes in 3D before we start on site can ensure that everything works correctly and it does save a lot of headaches on site. We are currently looking into a step further than that and incorporating a 3D printer to provide our clients with real models of their homes prior to construction.”

Once the client approves the concept plan, a Preparation of Plans Agreement is entered into and at this stage a non-refundable contract package fee of 2% of the budget estimate is collected.

Documentation

Riverstone Custom Homes takes care of all the paperwork including obtaining the necessary planning approvals and building licences. The contract drawings and contract package will also be frozen and the company’s design consultant will go over all the documents with the client and suitably reply to any queries.

When the client is satisfied that everything is in order and all questions have been fully answered, the documentation will be required to be signed and 10% of the contract price would be payable.

Selections

During this phase of the project, Riverstone Custom Homes offers clients advice on making the interior and exterior selections. The company’s Interior Architect works with the customer to ensure that every part of the new home uses materials which will enhance its finish and give it an upmarket and luxurious look. This facility is not offered by most builders. Riverstone Custom Homes has seen that this service is very popular and clients benefit greatly from the professional advice.

Riverstone has the ability to design and order custom-made artwork and arrange for furniture and carpets if this is required. The company can even order bed linen and cutlery if requested.

A large number of clients visit the display homes maintained by Riverstone to get an idea about the design options available. The company regularly invests in display homes and currently has two and is in the process of building a third. Every two or three years the display homes are renewed to keep pace with changing customer preferences and tastes.

Riverstone offers its clients various “green” options to make their homes eco-friendly. Based on specific requirements, features can be incorporated to make the home energy efficient. This is a very popular option with luxury homeowners who wish to reduce their impact on the environment. The company can recommend a range of energy saving fittings and quality water systems.

Construction

This is Riverstone’s forte and the company has a reputation for excellence in its building processes. Over the years it has established strong relationships with various suppliers and sub-contractors and this enables Riverstone Custom Homes to build homes that meet clients’ specifications in every manner.

Tim Marshall says, “We rely on our suppliers and on the trade for many of our requirements. We have a lot of sub-contractor relationships where they do various parts of the building or supply different materials. We like to see ourselves as a quality builder so we certainly rely on good tradesmen and good suppliers and they are essential to our successful operations.

“Some of our suppliers have been with us from very close to when we started. We have long working relationships with many of our business partners. There is a company called Brikmakers who supply our bricks and Avanti supplies us with windows. International Cabinets has pretty much been with us from the start. We consider them as a very good partner of ours.”

Riverstone keeps clients informed about the progress being made during construction. Both the client liaison manager and site supervisor are available for discussion and any feedback that may be required. Monthly progress payments are collected as construction progresses.

At this stage of the project, changes can only be made by signing off on a written variation. Tim says, “We are a very customer focussed business so we always have to consider our customer’s viewpoint in all matters and that is a key part of what we do and very important for us. Clients have very definite views about what they want in their homes and in one sense it does make it more challenging for the builder but it also makes it more interesting.”

Practical Completion and Handover

When construction activity is completed, the client has an opportunity to carry out an inspection along with the client liaison officer. Final payment is due at this stage. Riverstone Custom Homes has established a practice of giving each new homeowner a “handover pack” at the end of the project. This includes a set of keys to the home, a guarantee letter, homeowner’s manual, a set of plans, emergency numbers and a 12-month maintenance plan.

Each Riverstone Custom Home comes with the statutory six-year warranty and the company also offers the facility of rectifying any issues that arise up to 12 months from practical completion.

Riverstone has grown steadily over the years but limits the number of homes it builds so that it can maintain its high level of quality. In the last two decades the company has earned a reputation for being a premium builder of luxury homes with the capability to execute projects flawlessly and to the complete satisfaction of the client. This has made Riverstone the most sought after high-end builder in Perth.

AT A GLANCE

WHO: Riverstone Custom Homes

WHAT: Riverstone is among the leading custom home builders in Perth. It has earned an outstanding reputation for design, quality, value and service.

WHERE: Cottesloe WA 6911

WEBSITE: http://www.riverstone.com.au/

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Archive September-October 2015 Series 2015-2016: Best Managed Firms - Construction & Property Development

T.C. Clarke & Son: Upholding Family Tradition

by BVO September 30, 2015

written by BVO

A construction contractor with roots that go back for almost a century, T.C. Clarke and Son is a Brisbane Master Builder with operations in the industrial and commercial sectors. Set up in 1919 by Thomas Charles Clarke after he returned from the First World War, the company is engaged in design and construct services, property maintenance and commercial and industrial restoration and renovations. Its latest diversification is in commercial cabinet making and shop fitting.

When the company began operations one of its first projects was for the Queensland National Bank which subsequently became the National Australia Bank. At that time a number of other bank projects were also completed by the company in addition to a variety of construction work for the government. Several of these earlier buildings are now Heritage Listed, those being The National Bank of Australia buildings in Ayr & Mackay as well as the Goondiwindi Town Hall in Queensland.

The second generation of the family to manage T.C. Clarke and Son was Morris Clarke. He consolidated the company’s operations and played a crucial role in enhancing the company’s reputation for being a reliable and trusted builder for the period stretching from after the Second World War till the early 1970’s.

Geoff Clarke, the current owner of the company, is the grandson of the founder. He has very ably managed the business and, in addition to expanding the existing lines, has successfully diversified into commercial cabinet making and shop fitting.

The company’s ability to carry out high quality and aesthetically pleasing interior work has served to establish its presence in this market. With each completed project in this area, the company has gained greater recognition. In fact, this division has done exceedingly well and completed several prestigious projects.

T.C. Clarke and Son have also completed a number of high profile projects in the education sector. It has built several new buildings at St. Margret’s School in Brisbane and also the first two stages of the Padua College at Kedron. Although the company’s only office is situated in Brisbane, it does work throughout Queensland and Northern New South Wales. It has even expanded into the Northern Territory and is currently executing cabinet supply and fit out projects there.

Over the years the company has also developed expertise in retail design and fit out, office interiors, roof installations, roof restoration and construction, and commercial office fit outs. One of the ongoing projects of T.C. Clarke and Son involves building two facilities for Urban Utilities. The company’s specialised skills are being used to construct several buildings above flood level in flood prone areas.

The company is also executing a project which involves the fit out work for the redevelopment of the Central Queensland University in Brisbane. They have also recently completed the major refurbishment of 4 office floors for an English Speaking School in the CBD.

Speaking about the range of work carried out by T.C. Clarke and Son, Geoff Clarke says, “We do the maintenance work for the Coles Group which includes Coles Supermarkets, Coles Express, Kmart, Target, Liquorland, First Choice and Vintage Cellars.

“We concentrate on medium sized projects and do about six to eight construction projects a year and in our shop fitting division there is constant work. These are smaller projects where we fit out a Liquorland or an office. We also do maintenance work and many small projects.”

The company has three divisions – construction, cabinet making/shop fitting and maintenance. Each of these has a constant stream of work and contributes to the reputation and standing of the company.

T.C. Clarke and Son purchase material from a wide variety of suppliers. Bunnings is a key materials supply source who have a tie-up with the Coles Group for whom the company does a substantial amount of work. Some of the other important suppliers are Virginia Building Supplies, Brett’s Timber and Hardware and John Barnes Locksmiths. For the cabinet making division Nova Hardware and Janden Wood Products are important. The company also uses SJ Electric and Dr Ceilings as sub-contractors.

T.C. Clarke and Son have expanded steadily over the years and now the fourth generation of the family is playing an active role in its running and management. Geoff’s son, Scott, has completed a Bachelor of Applied Science in Construction Management and has been working in the company for the last 13 years.

There are very few companies in the construction sector which can boast of having been in existence for almost a century. T.C. Clarke and Son have not only survived, it has grown its operations over the years. Along with its business volumes, the company has gained a very reliable reputation and the large number of successfully completed projects is proof of its high quality work. Now, with the fourth generation of the family actively involved in the family business, T.C. Clarke and Son are ready for many more years of steady growth.

AT A GLANCE

WHO: T.C. Clarke & Son

WHAT: They are long recognized and respected Commercial and Industrial Master Builders carrying out work throughout Queensland and Northern NSW.

WHERE: QLD 4013, Australia

WEBSITE: http://www.tcclarke.com.au/

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September 30, 2015 0 comments

Archive Construction News September-October 2015 Series 2015-2016: Best Managed Firms - Construction & Property Development

Construction – in the Green Environment

by BVO September 30, 2015

written by BVO

Building activity can lead to pollution in the immediate vicinity and also contribute to degrading the larger environment. Fortunately, there are a number of established practices and processes that can be implemented during construction, which serve to minimise this damage.

The Australian construction sector has extremely clear and accurate guidelines on building environmentally sustainable structures and their implementation has resulted in the development of skills and techniques within the building industry, which have led to reduced energy consumption and cutting down on the volume of waste material.

The Green Building Council of Australia is at the forefront of the effort to encourage sustainable building practices across the country. It has established a Green Star rating scale which provides direction to builders in their effort to adopt ecologically friendly practices. Construction companies are motivated to adopt the Green Star rating system as it also results in lowering operational costs and increasing asset value.

In fact, the benefits available if a building that meets these standards is constructed, include a reduction of 66% in electricity cost as compared to the average Australian city building. The construction process also uses 51% less potable water against what would have been consumed if minimum industry requirements had been followed.

Wide acceptance of this standard has resulted in 550 projects totalling eight million square metres having received Green Star certification. Currently, over 20% of Australia’s CBD office space is certified green.

Climatic conditions across the country vary widely and many area have a harsh environment. Due to this factor, it is even more important to conserve energy and water resources.

Australia’s construction industry, which has vast experience in operating in these conditions, has developed skills and techniques that have given it the expertise to create resource-efficient buildings that perform well in extreme climates. Recognising this ability, Australian companies have bagged prestigious overseas projects that exhibit advanced green construction techniques, including the Beijing National Aquatics Centre (the Watercube) and Arya Residences in the Philippines.

In addition to the Green Building Council of Australia, the country has several other institutions which are world-leaders in developing technologies that help reduce the industry’s carbon footprint. One of these, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, has developed OptiCOOL, which is helping building owners across Australia and the United States reduce their energy consumption while improving comfort level of occupants.

More than 60% of the energy consumption in Australian commercial buildings comes from heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC). The OptiCOOL system intelligently alters the operation of a building’s HVAC control system according to settings for cost savings, occupant comfort and energy efficiency. Argonne National Laboratory in the U.S. has independently tested OptiCOOL and found that the system reduces HVAC energy consumption by up to 45%.

The Australian building industry has taken a number of steps to promote green causes and has made massive strides in implementing sustainable building practices. These initiatives have resulted in huge savings in operational costs in addition to achieving the goal of meeting energy, water and material efficiency targets.

A great deal of progress has also been made in waste reduction and management. All these factors have strengthened the Australian building industry and prepared it to meet the challenges of the future which will see greater stress being laid on green practices and the need to preserve the environment.

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September 30, 2015 0 comments

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