The Building Economist - March 2013 - The Future Issue

Building Economist

TheTHE jOURNAL Of THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE Of QUANTITy SURvEyORS

THE fUTUREISSUE MARCH 2013

fEATURINGRISING fROM THE RUbbLE

QS: THE NEW GENERATION

GAMIfICATION

DARLING HARbOUR REDEvELOpMENT

THE RUSH TO REbUILD AfTER NATURAL DISASTERS

WHAT THE fUTURE HOLDS fOR THE yOUNG GUNS

HOW TO CROWD-SOURCE CITy bUILDING

A SHOT IN THE ARM fOR SyDNEy

coming mid

2013

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MAR 2013C O N T E N T S

Building Economist

The

REGULARSContributions Articles relevant to construction economics and related subjects, pictorial material, letters etc are welcome. No responsibility is accepted for unsolicited material. All contributions should be addressed to the editor: Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, National Office, Level 6, 65 York Street, Sydney NSW 2000.

Tel: (02) 9262 1822 Fax: (02) 9279 1400 Email: [email protected] www.buildingeconomist.com.au

The Institute does not, as a body, hold itself responsible for statements made and opinions expressed in this Journal. All rights of translation and reproduction are reserved.

Subscriptions Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, National Office, Level 6, 65 York Street,Sydney NSW 2000.

Tel: (02) 9262 1822 Fax (02) 9279 1400

Published quarterly $110.00 (including GST) annual subscription (Airmail rates on request). Visit our website www.aiqs.com.au and order your annual subscription online.

Circulation Over 4,500 copies

General and Advertising Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, National Office, Level 6, 65 York Street,Sydney NSW 2000.

Tel: (02) 9262 1822 Fax (02) 9279 1400 Email: [email protected]

Artwork as a PDF is preferred.

ISSN 0007-3431

Designed and printed for the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (ACN 008 485 809) by Nose to Tail Pty Ltd

Managing Editor Jenna Harfield

Executive Editor Emma Marshall

Art Director Julian Brown - Nose to Tail

Chief Executive Officer Michael Manikas

Cover: The Star Architect: The Buchan Group

Developer: Echo Entertainment QS: Davis Langdon, an AECOM Company

INSIGHT RISING fROM THE RUbbLE QS:

THE NExT GENERATION

1016When natural disasters hit, the physical, emotional

and social impacts are felt worldwide. The rush

to rebuild and return to ‘life as usual’ has caused

many to start questioning whether we are ignoring

the opportunity to create buildings

and cities built to last. BE investigates

what the future really looks like once

the storm has passed.

Quantity Surveying is now in the hands of the

next generation. They are climbing the corporate

ladder and embracing the chance to work on

some of the most exciting new projects. BE chats

to two young Quantity Surveyors to find out what

they believe the future holds for them.

02 0708 28

SNAp SHOT

fROM THE CEO

NUTS & bOLTS

QS KIT

30 SOCIAL

tHE Building Economist – mARcH 2013 – 1

DARLING HARbOUR REDEvELOpMENT 20IT’S TIME TO pLAy SIMCITy fOR REAL24

Insight by guest columnist James A. Moore.

Lynne Blundell writes about this shot in the arm for Sydney.

http://issuu.com/action/page?page=12






























snAPsHot

SCHOLARSHIp fOR WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION ROLLED OUT NATIONALLyA scholarship program previously only available in

New South Wales is to be made available across

Australia from 2014.

The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC)

and Corporate Culture, a design furniture, lighting and

accessory fi rm have joined together to announce the national

rollout of the International Women’s Day Scholarship for a

three-year period.

The award of $10,000 is available for women working in the

construction industry for the purposes of developing a research

paper that will be used as a positive instrument for change.

See www.nawic.com.au for further information.

2 – tHE Building Economist – mARcH 2013

snAPsHot

A 71-storey residential skyscraper designed by architect firm

Elenberg Fraser has been given the green light by Victoria’s

planning minister Matthew Guy.

Tall and thin with a slight twist, the tower will comprise of one, two

and three bedroom apartments, as well as office space and

high-end retail and restaurant space on the first floor.

Instant Waste Management in Western Australia has invested $10

million in a new materials waste facility that can simultaneously

process both recyclable and non-recyclable construction and

demolition waste.

The new facility will be capable of processing about 200,000 tonnes

of construction and demolition waste, of which 90 per cent will be

recycled into usable materials. It will also take the onus off builders

and developers to separate waste at the source, enabling all waste

to be dumped in one bin and sorted at the facility.

The Lead Lease $6 billion urban regeneration project at Barangaroo

has announced its part as a pilot project for the new Green Star –

Communities PILOT rating tool. Developed by the Green Building

Council of Australia, the tool will support the design and delivery of

more sustainable and liveable communities.

The project is expected to include on and offsite carbon and

renewable energy, zero carbon waste treatment and commuter

carbon emission offsets, as well as plans for Barangaroo South

to be the first large-scale carbon neutral community in

the country.

TOWER MELbOURNE GETS GREEN LIGHT

CONSTRUCTION RECyCLING TO GET HELp fROM $10M fACILITy

bARANGAROO REGENERAGTION pLEDGES GREEN STAR

A new Building Code has come into effect and outlines the key behaviours

related to industrial relations expected of contractors undertaking

Commonwealth-funded work.

The new code requires contractors bidding for Commonwealth-funded

projects to have effective plans and procedures in place to deal with

industrial disputes and occupational health and safety issues, as well as

requirements for contractors to comply with the Fair Work Act and

other relevant laws.

NEW bUILDING CODE fOR 2013 RELEASED


A new website has been launched to

protect businesses and consumers from

contractors and sub-contractors that do

not have the right paperwork.

Businesschecker.com.au uses an easy

search database to allow users to find out if

companies are uninsured or unqualified.

Founder and risk management expert,

John Simmons, believes Businesschecker.

com.au fills a void in the market that will

prevent everyone from individuals to large

businesses from being exposed to scams

and unnecessary financial burdens.

Lend Lease will break ground on its $1billion

Waterbank precinct in East Perth in late

2014 after finalising an agreement with the

Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority.

It will include a mix of more than 600

apartments, offices, restaurants, shopping

areas, and public promenades featuring

a beach and wetland area, with the first

building and majority of the public domain

to be delivered by late 2017.

CHECK A bUSINESS WITH NEW WEbSITE

WATERbANK pRECINCT TO KICK Off IN 2014

snAPsHot

in BRiEF

NEW DEAL fOR fINbAR

Finbar, considered to be one of the

fastest growing property trusts

in Western Australia, has added to its

portfolio with an $18.5 million deal to

develop a luxury complex in

South Australia.

Adding to the three development lots

at Perth’s Springs Riverdale project

they acquired in December, Finbar will

develop and manage the construction of

the eight opulent apartments on

behalf of Alpha Praga Mill Point.


Construction has begun on what will be the tallest building in western Sydney, One Australia

Avenue. A joint venture between Ecove and Sydney Olympic Park Authority (SOPA), the record-

breaking third stage of the Australia Towers residential development will feature 300 apartments.

The 30 storey tower is expected to be completed in mid-2015 and will join the first two towers

which offer a further 483 apartments.

Sydney Olympic Park is one of Sydney’s few master-planned suburbs and the NSW Government is

dedicated to ensuring its ongoing prosperity, with the population expected to grow to

50,000 by 2030.

ONE AUSTRALIA AvENUE CONSTRUCTION bEGINS

snAPsHot

in BRiEF

pEEL AND STICK SOLAR pANELS A SUCCESS

The idea of the world’s first peel-

and-stick thin film solar cells has

taken a step closer to becoming a reality

with researchers at the Stanford School

of Engineering successfully developing

and testing this new technology.

Researchers have been able to reliably

attach the cells to helmets, cell

phones, convex windows, portable

electronic devices, curved roofs,

clothing and more. This has all been

achieved without modifying any existing

processes, facilities or materials, and

cells even have the ability to be

peeled off and reused elsewhere.


navigate • select • succeed

Conduit Recruitment The Preferred Choice

Conduit Recruitment are the preferred recruitment agency for the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors. In partnership with them we provide:

• Recruitment services to builders, consultants and developers – see our website for our sectors and strengths

• Advice on recruitment matters and HR solutions within the construction industry

• Salary surveys

• Sponsorship of various events including AIQS Annual Dinners, AIQS CPD Events, Excellence in Construction Awards, PIF Yacht Regattas, Young Engineers Awards and many others

• Seminars on relevent industry issues such as OH&S, Staff Retention, Recruitment Strategies, Emerging Trends, Economic Forecasts, Workplace Relations, Staff Contract Law, etc

Please direct all queries to Adam Walker at [email protected] or call him on 02 9929 7224.

For all our current vacancies see our website www.conduitgroup.com.au

Call: 02 9929 7224 [email protected]

Feb 2013_Ad_v1.indd 1 22/02/13 2:02 PM

This, our Future issue, seems a

pertinent time to firstly reflect

and acknowledge the achievements

of the past.

The end of January saw the 1st anniversary

of the relocation of the AIQS head office

and appointment of our new team of staff. A

year on we’ve had time to settle in, shake

things up and now look towards the future.

In the first year of the new AIQS we saw some

additions to the events offering of the institute,

including the launch of our events calendar to

allow all members to see what was coming

up in their local area; and the touring national

CPD road show with special international

guest speaker, Dr Ken Walsh, from San Diego

University. The Infinite Value Awards were also

launched in magnificent style with almost 200

attendees to the Gala dinner in Melbourne and

winners from all over the globe.

The Building Economist has finally moved into

the 21st Century with a long overdue facelift

and, if you are reading this article, it is proof

that the facelift has worked.

The magazine has also moved to an online

publication, reducing our printing costs and

carbon footprint, as has the new look A-List

(members business register) and by the

time this publication hits your letterbox or

workstation the AIQS will have achieved over

10,000 views of our online publications.

Government engagement has increased

over the last year with meetings and

correspondence with everyone, from the Prime

Minister Julia Gillard, down to the state and

territory ministers in relation to government

inquiries and Quantity Surveyors Registration.

Towards the end of 2012 the AIQS appointed its

first employee outside of Australia, Sangeeta

Luthria, who is located in Dubai and so we

have now officially established an office in the

Knowledge Village in Dubai.

The future sustainability of the profession

lies not only in strengthening the industry

and education in Australia but also through

continued growth of our International

members with increasing allies in the Middle

East, China, Thailand and the Philippines.

That is why, whilst remaining focused on our

core membership base here in Australia,

we must also nurture our rising community

of peers off-shore. Not forgetting the young

cadets and professionals who are entering the

work force and carrying with them an energy,

ambition and determination that will shape the

future of the industry.

In a recent study carried out by our

Membership Manager, Kirsten Fitzpatrick,

she found that 58% of our members are under

40 years of age and 76% are under 50 years

of age, with almost 55% between the ages

of 21 and 40. This is a strong message that

the future of our profession is a robust one

with a large number of young members and

professionals working amongst us.

Whilst generation Y comes with its bad press,

we have found our YQS members to be diligent,

enthusiastic and hard working. We have come

across a group of young professionals who are

eager to learn from their more senior team

leaders and mentors, whilst embracing the

advantages and challenges of a new approach

and new technologies. This is not a group

of people to be feared or ignored, rather a

collective to shape and encourage - making

our organisations more diverse and efficient

ones.

We are proud to have established a keen YQS

community in every state with engaged and

active committees who are keen to drive the

profession forward in their respective areas.

We hope you enjoy our interview on page 16

where we talk to YQS committee members

from Victoria and Perth, including the winner

of the 2012 Conduit Recruitment Future

Leader Award, Vincent Lau.

In the same survey conducted we discovered

the disturbing fact that only 16% of our

members are female. This is an issue

as an industry we desperately need to

address and our own Events and Marketing

Manager, Jenna Harfield, has begun industry

consultation to create a female centric social

group to encourage a more balanced gender

mix by providing and celebrating female role

models within the construction industry. If you

are interested in this please get in touch with

Jenna on [email protected] I know she

would love to hear from you.

2013 has already started off with a bang, with

natural disasters both at home and overseas

plaguing our news screens. In our feature

article “Rising from the Rubble” we explore

the future plans of towns and cities devastated

by such disasters, and learn that in any bad

situation the challenge lies in learning from the

past and building stronger foundations which,

when shaken to the core remain standing

proud and tall.

Regards,

Michael Manikas

Chef Executive Officer

THE fUTURE ISSUE

FRom tHE cEo


nuts And Bolts

To tie in with our feature article

of rebuilding after natural

disasters, nuts and bolts charts

the costliest natural disasters

worldwide, and compares these

with our home grown costs.

NATURALDISASTERS

$45,000,000,000

$29,600,000,000

3. HURRICANE KATRINA

5. HURRICANE IKE

COUNTING COSTS

ESTIMA

TED DA

MAGE

(US$ b

ILLION

)

19750

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010


TOp 5 – AUSTRALIA1. SyDNEy HAILSTORMS (1999) $4.2 bILLION LOSS2. DARWIN – TROpICAL CyCLONE TRACy (1974) $4 bILLION LOSS3. NEWCASTLE EARTHQUAKE (1989) $3.24 bILLION LOSS4. bRISbANE fLOOD (1974) $2.64 bILLION LOSS5. QUEENSLAND fLOODS (2010/11) $2.38 bILLION LOSS

$300,000,000,000

$148,000,000,000$45,700,000,000

1. TOHOKU EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI

2. SICHUAN EARTHQUAKE

4. THAILAND fLOODS


insigHt

THE “fUTURE-pROOfING” AppROACH fOR DISASTER zONES

RISING fROM THE RUbbLEWHEN NATURAL DISASTERS HIT, THE pHySICAL, EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL IMpACTS ARE fELT WORLDWIDE. THE RUSH TO REbUILD AND RETURN TO ‘LIfE AS USUAL’ HAS CAUSED MANy TO START QUESTIONING WHETHER WE ARE IGNORING THE OppORTUNITy TO CREATE bUILDINGS AND CITIES bUILT TO LAST. bE INvESTIGATES WHAT THE fUTURE REALLy LOOKS LIKE ONCE THE STORM HAS pASSED.


insigHt


insigHt

A S L O N G A S T H E R E H A v E b E E N b U I L D I N G S , T H E W E A T H E R H A S b E E N K N O C K I N G T H E M D O W N . T H E N E W y E A R I N T A S M A N I A W A S f I L L E D W I T H f L A M E S A S b U S H f I R E S R A G E D A N D H U N D R E D S O f p R O p E R T I E S W E R E L O S T W I T H T H O U S A N D S L E f T S T R A N D E D . H U R R I C A N E S A N D y W I L L D E f I N E 2 0 1 2 – A y E A R W H E N T H E W O R L D D I D N ’ T A C T U A L Ly E N D b U T M O T H E R N A T U R E G A v E I T A G O O D S H A K E .


insigHt

Billions of dollars in residential and

business property damage, much of it in

New York, New Jersey and Connecticut,

as well as 140 deaths were all blamed on

Hurricane Sandy. However, now the dust

has settled and the Republican-controlled

House of Representatives have approved

$50.7 billion in emergency relief, plans

to rebuild those areas devastated by the

hurricane can now begin.

In many areas, such as Brooklyn, many

people are still not back in their homes

and relying on the local volunteer fire

department to receive hot meals; the

urgency to start repairs and rebuild

is high. The challenge is now how to

balance this necessity to return to ‘life as

normal’ with future-proofing and keeping

costs in mind.

New York’s Mayor, Michael Bloomberg,

has already signed an executive order

allowing homeowners to rebuild higher

so they can remain above flood levels.

It is easy to see that plans are being

considered that may mitigate future

storm damage.

Whilst many areas devastated by natural

disasters look at ways to protect against

the future, others rebuild with the future

of the planet in mind.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina became the

costliest natural disaster in the history of

the United States, and third most costly

in the world. According to the Insurance

Information Institute, it also generated

the largest single loss in the history

of insurance of $ USD 41 billion. Over

204,000 homes in New Orleans were

damaged or destroyed, and more than

800,000 citizens displaced.

“ D I S A S T E R O f f E R S A U N I Q U E O p p O R T U N I T y T O R E T H I N K T H E p L A N N I N G A N D p O L I T I C S O f O U R M E T R O - R E G I O N A L A R E A S – I T I S A C H A N C E T O R E D E f I N E O U R C I T I E S A N D T O R E A S S E R T v A L U E S O f

E N v I R O N M E N T A L C A R E A N D S O C I A L j U S T I C E , ”


insigHt

When it came to the practical rebuilding, the Army Corps LACPR

(Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration) identified the

areas not to be rebuilt, as well as areas where buildings needed

to be elevated. However, the architect selected by the citizens

of New Orleans to re-plan a third of the city, Frederic Schwartz,

stated that cities must look beyond just short-term recovery.

“Disaster offers a unique opportunity to rethink the planning and

politics of our metro-regional areas – it is a chance to redefine

our cities and to reassert values of environmental care and

social justice,” he wrote.

Global Green USA saw the opportunity to create a sustainable

future for New Orleans. During the summer of 2006, the

organisation, in partnership with Hollywood’s Brad Pitt,

sponsored an international design competition. According to

President and CEO Matt Petersen, this has lead to “more LEED

Platinum homes in the Lower 9th than any other neighbourhood

in the United States.”

For this organisation, and for Petersen, coming back from a

natural disaster is about looking at “how neighbourhoods can

come back stronger than ever”.

“We also know the threats to low-lying coastal communities

due to sea level rise. With more than 150 million Americans

living in or near coastal cities, we need to continue the fight

to reduce greenhouse gas emissions — by raising awareness,

calling for action, and rebuilding more resilient communities and

infrastructure,” says Petersen.

Whilst America looks at turning the negatives left by a natural

disaster into a “more resilient, healthier, and greener” future,

New Zealand are piecing together the future of its second-

largest city.

On 22 February 2011, Christchurch shook from a magnitude

6.3 earthquake. An aftershock that followed the 7.1 magnitude

earthquake of September 2010, it was one of well over 10,000

measurable earthquakes – 58 of which were a magnitude 5.0 or

greater – that had shuddered beneath the foundations of the city.

From catastrophic collapse to gradual or creeping damage that

has worsened over time, Christchurch has endured it all. Last

year, the local Government showcased its rebuild plan for the

city with the view to “build the area back better than it was

before.”

A new 2000-capacity convention centre at a “postcard location”

by the Avon River, a huge aquatic and indoor sports facility,

revitalised square with a new central library, and Ngai Tahu

cultural centre will all now rise to form a revitalised city, which

according to Prime Minister John Key, will be “very much like

Melbourne.”

Safety stood as the paramount concern when decisions were

being made on how to deal with land and buildings in the wake

of the earthquake, with land zoned according to level of damage

G L O b A L G R E E N U S AGlobal Green uSA is the American affiliate of Green

Cross international, founded by president Gorbachev,

to foster a global value shift toward a sustainable and

secure future. For nearly 20 years, Global Green uSA

has been a national leader in advocating for smart

solutions to global warming including green building

for affordable housing, schools, cities and communities

that save money, improve health and create green jobs.

Global Green uSA has influenced more than $20 billion

dollars for green building projects and educates

millions of people about climate friendly solutions

through its annual red Carpet/Green Cars Oscars

campaign. Global Green is also leading efforts to help

rebuild a green new Orleans through its sustainable

green village and green schools initiatives.


and potential for damage in future quakes. However, once the

rebuild gained momentum it became an opportunity to make

changes and start fresh.

“This disaster has provided Christchurch the rare opportunity

to start afresh in creating a world-class, prosperous, green city

that people are drawn to. Some residential parts of the city will

no longer be lived in, and an exciting new central city will be

developed according to the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan,”

says a Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority spokesperson.

Concluding that the new central area will be ‘future focused’,

the spokesperson stated that the buildings would be “designed

to new modern standards, and built using new approaches, and

developers are expected to respond to the demand from tenants

for green technology.”

Whilst this grand vision is not without hope for the future, the

other side to this devastating natural disaster is the damage

to homes. Cracked or broken foundations; walls crumbled or

even shattered; collapsed chimneys and floors; as well as other

surfaces that have been shaken out of alignment fill the streets

of Christchurch.

“In very general terms, rigid structures made from stone, bricks

and similar materials have been more susceptible to damage

than those made from relatively flexible materials such as

wood,” explains Fletcher Earthquake Recovery (EQR) General

Manager, David Peterson.

New Zealand based building company Fletcher is engaged in the

Canterbury Home Repair Programme as project manager under

contract to the Earthquake Commission (EQC). The programme

is concerned with repairing damage costed at between $NZ

15,000 and $NZ 100,000.

With the average full home repair costing about $NZ 35,000, just

over 30,000 full home repairs have been carried out so far, along

with 48,000 emergency repairs and 18,000 chimney replacement

repairs, this has already proved to be a very costly exercise. And

it still has a way to go.

“In regard to full home repairs, the programme is approximately

one-third complete,” says Peterson. “At a rate of 100 full

home repair completions per day – or 2,000 per month – the

programme is on track to be finished in 2015.”

So with all this money being spent on repairs, and with the

constant threat of more earthquakes hanging over the heads

of homeowners, are plans in place to ‘future-proof’ homes for

possible earthquakes in the future?

“Our mandate is to repair the earthquake damage, and

thus return the home to the condition it was in before the

earthquakes,” states Peterson.

“The insurance provided by EQC covers repair of earthquake

damage, and this means renovation or improvement work is not

covered. Homeowners can choose to ‘opt out’ of the programme

and self-manage their repairs if they wish to combine these with

additional work.”

So whilst Christchurch balances between the Christchurch

Central Development Unit embracing the opportunity to “rethink,

revitalise and renew central Christchurch”, and the need to

quickly return to normal life for many of the residents, what

does the future really look like for the towns, cities and countries

devastated by natural disasters?

For the building and construction sector, it is about getting

the balance right after a natural disaster. Repair the present,

revitalise the future, and bring hope to despair.

insigHt

“ T H I S D I S A S T E R H A S p R O v I D E D C H R I S T C H U R C H T H E R A R E O p p O R T U N I T y T O S T A R T A f R E S H I N C R E A T I N G A W O R L D - C L A S S ,

p R O S p E R O U S , G R E E N C I T y T H A T p E O p L E A R E D R A W N T O . ”


QS: THE NExT GENERATIONQuAntity suRvEying is now in tHE HAnds oF tHE nExt gEnERAtion. tHEy ARE climBing tHE coRPoRAtE lAddER And EmBRAcing tHE cHAncE to woRK on somE oF tHE most Exciting nEw PRojEcts. BE cHAts to two young QuAntity suRvEyoRs to Find out wHAt tHEy BEliEvE tHE FutuRE Holds FoR tHEm.


hOW DiD yOu bOTh COME TO bE

QuAnTiTy SurvEyOrS?

Vincent: A relative of mine suggested that I

give Quantity Surveying some consideration.

At that time, like most people, I had never

heard of the profession at all. After some

quick research I found that it complemented

my skill sets well. Upon undertaking my

fi nal year of study at RMIT, Prowse Quantity

Surveyors took me in as a cadet and I’ve

never looked back since.

Rebecca: I studied Property and

Construction Management at The University

of Melbourne with the view of becoming a

Project Manager however, in my fi rst year I

discovered that Quantity Surveyors existed

so decided to give it a go as it interested

me. I am defi nitely glad now that I did.

WhAT iS iT likE TO bE A yOunG

QuAnTiTy SurvEyOr?

R: I am constantly learning and being

challenged. Each day is different as you

can be in the offi ce doing cost plans one

day and then out on site negotiating with

contractors the next day.

V: It is a very exciting and dynamic

profession. There are those days where,

after years of hard work, a project reaches

completion and I get to see the smiles of

my clients’ faces as they walk into a freshly

completed building.

AS yOunG QuAnTiTy SurvEyOrS, WhAT

DO yOu FEEl yOur GEnErATiOn OFFErS

ThE inDuSTry?

V: There is a lot of energy and motivation

amongst the young Quantity Surveyors

to do well in their chosen profession and

succeed in life.

R: Simply put, they offer enthusiasm, as

well as a willingness and eagerness to

learn. They can also bring forward new

innovative and dynamic ideas.

V: And they look at working smarter by

reviewing different ways of achieving the

same results, using technology that is now

available to them.

Generation Y are emerging from the

shadow cast by Generation X, and taking

pride of place in the workplace. It is now

time for the young Quantity Surveyors

of today to make their mark – before

Generation Z fi nishes university and start

snapping at their heels.

Whilst the profession itself has been

around for centuries, the ways and work

of Quantity Surveyors have changed over

the years. Now with the continued rise of

technology, the growing importance of

sustainability, and changing construction

demands, young Quantity Surveyors are

balancing the old with the new.

Attempting to create a new path is not

without challenges but fi lled with advice

and following guidance, today’s Quantity

Surveyors are bringing a new found

passion for an overlooked profession.

Do they have all the answers? Well, no,

but they are willing to learn.

Two young Quantity Surveyors that are

taking on the building and construction

industry are Melbourne based Vincent

Lau, and Perth’s Rebecca Parhar. Both are

strong advocates of the potential of the

next generation, sit on YQS committees,

and most recently, Vincent was announced

as the winner of the Conduit Recruitment

Future Leader Award at the inaugural

AIQS Infi nite Value Awards 2012.

Positioned fi rmly on the front line of the

profession, Vincent and Rebecca share

their thoughts on the future of an industry

– as well as their own.


WhAT ArE ThE biGGEST inFluEnCES On yOunG QuAnTiTy SurvEyOrS?

V: In my opinion, the advancement in technology is one of the greatest

influences. This includes new cost-effective green innovations and principles

that we can apply to our projects to ensure that the next generation has the

same opportunities as we do.

R: Senior work colleagues. These are the people that teach young Quantity

Surveyors most things related to the profession.

WhO hAS bEEn yOur biGGEST inFluEnCE?

V: It would have to be Anthony Prowse. Like all great teachers he has been a

great role model who is a master of his craft, he has set high expectations,

and as a great friend he has taken the time to look at not only my professional

interests, but quality of life as well. He has always encouraged me to go

beyond my comfort zone, and in doing so, allowed me to develop life skills and

appreciate the value of working hard.

R: My Dad has been my biggest influence. His profession is not related to

this industry but his guidance and support, plus his own achievements in life,

are what have given me the incentive and courage to set myself goals and

aspirations.

WhAT hAS bEEn ThE bEST piECE OF ADviCE yOu hAvE bEEn GivEn?

V: Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life.

R: To try and act like a sponge and take every opportunity to learn as

much as you can whenever you can.

iS ThE inDuSTry ChAnGinG AnD EvOlvinG?

R: The industry is rapidly becoming more advanced with new technologies

such the BIM modeling technology.

V: Our core competencies have not changed, but the way we do it has. Our

projects are virtually designed these days. This results in more efficient

buildings, less conflicts between disciplines, and improves constructability,

better quality of documentation, which in turn saves our clients costs. This is

beginning to change the way Quantity Surveyors go about their work, as well

as influence their involvement within a project team.

WiTh A FOCuS On ThE FuTurE, WhAT DO yOu Think ThE QS & WiDEr

COnSTruCTiOn inDuSTry Will lOOk likE in 10 yEArS?

V: Ten years ago I was using a scale ruler and a calculator. Today I use a

virtual scale ruler and calculator. Our core competencies will not change but

advances in technology will undoubtedly change the way we measure projects.

R: Beyond technology, factors such as carbon emissions and sustainability

will play more of a role due to their increasing predominance not only

nationally, but globally.

vINCENT LAUAn Associate Director at Prowse Quantity Surveyors

in Melbourne, Vincent has never looked back since

graduating from RMIT in 1998. He has actively

promoted the profession he loves far and wide and

is a valuable supporter of the AIQS. He continues to

sit on the VIC YQS committee and has been the VIC

chapter treasurer since 2008.

He has had a lead role as Quantity Surveyor for the

RMIT Advanced Manufacturing Precinct project, and

has also spent time promoting the AIQS at a variety

of career exhibitions, and as a guest lecturer and

mentor for various universities.


V: The need for Quantity Surveyors follows the trends of the construction and

engineering industries. As the world’s economy improves, demand for new

work will follow, which will result in an increased demand for our services.

AS yOunG QuAnTiTy SurvEyOrS, WhErE DO yOu SEE yOur FuTurE?

V: Professionally, I can see myself continue to assisting the AIQS and

broadening the public’s understanding of the profession. Obtaining fellowship

status within the institute is also something I hope to achieve in these next five

years.

Personally, I want to ensure my daughter has every possible opportunity

available to her. Going through life’s challenges of a young family with the

requirements of work is something I look forward to.

R: I hope to be in a position where I have gained more responsibilities within

my job role and am able to handle them with confidence.

yOu ArE bOTh MEMbErS OF ThE yQS COMMiTTEES in MElbOurnE AnD

pErTh. Why iS iT iMpOrTAnT TO hAvE COMMiTTEES likE ThiS FOr

yOunG QuAnTiTy SurvEyOrS?

R: It provides an excellent opportunity to meet fellow young Quantity Surveyors

and enhance your contacts. It allows for a great morale boost to be able

to socialise and enjoy time with others within the industry and gain more

knowledge through presentations from prominent figures within the industry.

V: The Young Quantity Surveyors committee in Melbourne really exemplifies

the passion that the youth have for their profession. They sacrifice much of

their personal time organising events throughout the year, including various

networking opportunities, as well as attending many career and information

nights, to help publicise the profession.

FinAlly, vinCEnT WhAT DiD WinninG ThE COnDuiT rECruiTMEnT

FuTurE lEADEr AWArD AT ThE AiQS inFiniTE vAluE AWArDS MEAn TO

yOu?

V: It means that I’m not somebody just yet, but I’m on the right way to being

somebody. It is a great source of inspiration and encouragement that

through hard work and a great team, any challenge can be resolved. I am

most humbled by this and encouraged to keep developing the profession

for the years to come. I would like to take this opportunity to thank those

who have allowed me to take this journey and achieve what I have including

my clients and their projects, past and present councillors of the AIQS, my

fellow peers on the Young Quantity Surveyors committee, and last but not

least Anthony Prowse and the staff at Prowse Quantity Surveyors.

REbECCA pARHAROriginally from Melbourne, Rebecca began her

career with Donald Cant Watts Corke four years ago

as a cadet Quantity Surveyor. After studying Property

and Construction Management and graduating from

the University of Melbourne two years ago, Rebecca

jumped at the opportunity to move to the Donald

Cant Watts Corke in Perth, Western Australia.

Rebecca has a strong affiliation with the Australian

Institute of Quantity Surveyors and currently sits on

the WA YQS committee.


DARLING HARbOUR REDEvELOpMENT A SHOT IN THE ARM fOR SyDNEysEcuRing sydnEy’s FutuRE As A toP conFEREncE And ExPo locAtion, And in tuRn, sEcuRing sydnEy’s FinAnciAl FutuRE, now REsts on tHE nEw REdEvEloPmEnt At dARling HARBouR. BE ExPloREs tHE ins And outs oF tHE stAtE-oF-tHE-ARt convEntion And ExHiBition cEntRE, And wHAt it REAlly mEAns FoR sydnEy’s FutuRE.

woRds: lynnE BlundEll

1

With its new state-of-the-art convention and exhibition centre

due to start construction later this year, Sydney has the chance

to put itself back on the global events map after a decade of losing

business to the mega-convention destinations of south-east Asia.

Conventions are big business, not only boosting a city’s local

economy but attracting major flow-on benefits for the tourism

sector. And according to the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority

(SHFA), over the past five years alone the existing facilities at

Darling Harbour were unable to accommodate around 169

conventions and 12 exhibitions, worth $150 million.

Deputy premier Andrew Stoner says the new convention and

exhibition facilities will generate $200 million a year in economic


1 MASTErplAn - viEW FrOM ThE SOuTh

2 inTErnATiOnAl COnvEnTiOn CEnTrE viEW FrOM EAST

3 inTErnATiOnAl COnvEnTiOn CEnTrE ExhibiTiOn - viEW FrOM TuMbAlOnG pArk

4 ThE ThEATrE - viEW FrOM ThE EAST

2

3

4

benefit to NSW, or $5 billion over the period of the 25 year

concession, as well as 1,600 jobs during construction.

“Sydney is a major world city and needs new, modern facilities to

meet demand and help grow our burgeoning major events industry.

The redevelopment is part of one of the most exciting urban renewal

projects the city has ever seen and represents the biggest change

to Darling Harbour in 25 years,” deputy premier Stoner said.

When completed, the 20-hectare precinct at Darling Harbour will

house Australia’s largest convention and exhibition facilities, a large

red carpet entertainment centre, a 900-room hotel complex and new

urban neighbourhood in Haymarket.


A wider aim of the $900 million project is to improve pedestrian

connections between Ultimo/Pyrmont and the city and between

Central, Chinatown and Cockle Bay Wharf. There will also be

a continuous foreshore link from Darling Harbour to the new

Barangaroo development.

In December 2012 NSW premier Barry O’Farrell announced

Destination Sydney, which comprises AEG Ogden, Lend Lease,

Capella Capital and Spotless Facilities Services, as the preferred

consortium to design, build and operate the new facilities,

branded as Darling Harbour Live. The project is being overseen by

Infrastructure NSW.

Under the consortium arrangement, Lend Lease’s infrastructure

development business Capella Capital will act as PPP (public

private partnership) development manager and advisor. The PPP

capital commitments are fully underwritten and Lend Lease will

invest 50 per cent of the equity alongside industry superfund

HOSTPLUS, with debt provided by a consortium of local and

overseas banks.

Contracts are yet to be finalised, followed by submission of the

preferred masterplan for planning approval. Construction is due to

begin in December 2013 with completion expected by the end of 2016.

ThE ppp MODEl

Sydney has a patchy history when it comes to PPP developments,

tollroad projects such as the Cross City Tunnel and the Lane Cove

Tunnel running into financial problems and attracting public outcry.

Project director for Infrastructure NSW, Tim Parker, says this PPP

venture is vastly different.

“There are two types of PPPs – social and economic. This one is

social and the government is paying for the service.

Toll roads are the user pays model. With this development the private

sector is taking the risk on the commercial side and the government

is sharing the risk with the operator.

“The government is procuring a precinct solution which contains a

mixture of private and public buildings,” says Parker.

The first stage of the redevelopment involves the public buildings –

the convention and exhibition facilities and the Sydney Entertainment

Centre. This will be followed by redevelopment of the southern end of

the precinct, to be completed by 2020.

“When we went to tender we were seeking a precinct solution. That

is one of the most exciting aspects of this project. We’re bringing

three public buildings together in one complex so that visitors can

sydnEy is A mAjoR woRld city And nEEds nEw, modERn FAcilitiEs to mEEt dEmAnd And HElP gRow

ouR BuRgEoning mAjoR EvEnts industRy.

HIGHLIGHTS Of THE pROjECT• 40,000 sqm exhibition space• plenary space for 12,000 • ballroom for 2,000 • entertainment facility for 8,000• 900-room hotel • free wireless connectivity across all facilities &

in public space • expanded Tumbalong Park with outdoor event space

for up to 25,000 people• new Haymarket neighbourhood with high-tech businesses,

residential, shops, cafes and restaurants• improved pedestrian connectivity across the precinct


go seamlessly from one to the other. And we

are creating a whole new precinct.”

While such a large-scale redevelopment

is complex, Parker is confident it will be

completed in three years. Construction

will be simplified by keeping the existing

convention centre’s underground carparks,

eliminating the need for major excavation.

The steel structure and prefabricated

sections of the new buildings will be

manufactured offsite to expedite construction

and minimise on-site work.

Quantity Surveying firm Altus Page

Kirkland (APK) was appointed by

Infrastructure NSW in late 2011 to provide

cost planning and cost management

services across the entire project.

APK senior director, Alex Buchan, told The

Building Economist APK has “worked closely

with Infrastructure NSW to achieve value for

money on the project.”

“From an economic perspective this is an

important and significant development for

Sydney and APK is proud to be associated

with it,” Buchan says.

Lend Lease is yet to appoint a quantity

surveyor for the project. The developer is

keen to build on the success of its previous

projects in the precinct, according to

David Hutton, Lend Lease Group, Head of

Development.

“We have already successfully delivered

Darling Park, Cockle Bay and Darling Quarter

and are currently in the process of developing

Barangaroo South so we have a lot of

experience in delivering quality outcomes

across Sydney and are excited to be a part of

this project.

“We will be building an integrated convention

exhibition and entertainment hub, and have

developed innovative designs for the core

buildings and associated public realm. We

consulted with industry and the community

during the bid process which helped inform

these designs, and are now in the process of

getting more feedback from local residents

and businesses to help shape the very best

outcome for Sydney,” says Hutton.

ThE rESpOnSE

Infrastructure NSW’s Tim Parker says the

majority of feedback on the project has so far

been positive.

“We did get a bit of comment about the two

level exhibition space. The tradition has

been for one level but multi-level is now

used throughout the world and it’s just

an evolution of the way conventions and

exhibitions are operated now,” says Parker.

“In terms of the redevelopment of Haymarket

and Ultimo, local residents are very happy

there will improved pedestrian connections

across the precinct. These links will really

benefit residents and businesses.”

David Hutton

Alex Buchan

THE HAYMARKET – URBAN SQUARE


IT’S TIME TO pLAy SIMCITy fOR REALguEst columnist jAmEs A. mooRE

James A. Moore, AIA, AICP, LEED AP BD+C, is the Senior Vice President at HDR Engineering, Inc. in Tampa, Florida.

James has more than 25 years of experience in architecture, urban design and planning. At HDR, he has led many of the company’s most successful community planning efforts, with a particular focus on large-scale mixed-use urban redevelopment projects.

Prior to joining HDR, James spent twelve years as a professor in the School of Architecture & Community Design at the University of South Florida, including a year as the interim dean. He was also the director of

the Florida Center for Community Design & Research, and an urban design and planning consultant to a number of firms specialising in community design and land planning.

As a passionate urbanist, James is active nationally in the Urban Land Institute, the Congress for the New Urbanism, the American Planning Association, and the American Institute of Architects.


I have always been fascinated by the game SimCity, as much for

the way it’s structured and the logic behind it as for the fun of

playing it. It simulates the workings of a city, and enables users

to play different roles in planning, designing, building and running

it. Ideas and actions have consequences, every action produces

a result, and each result impacts the progress of the game. It’s

enjoyable and can be addictive. Since it first became popular in the

early 1990s, the technologies for understanding how cities actually

function and operate, for collecting and analysing data, and for

simulating potential outcomes have increased immeasurably. We

can now accurately analyse and realistically simulate many of the

key systems – transportation, water, energy, etc.- that comprise

our cities. 3-D and 4-D visualisation technologies have dramatically

improved, as has the capacity to tap a vast audience of potential

collaborators. The opportunity has emerged to apply gamification

to the planning, design and construction of cities: to play SimCity

for real.

Gamification is a clunky term for an elegant concept; using game-

thinking and the ideas that inform games, in general, and on-line

games, in particular, in non-game-related ways. In this case, to

address key issues associated with urbanisation and the planning

and design of cities.


Gamification looks to crowd-sourcing solutions with myriad rapid

feedback loops, throwing out ideas, testing them, building on them.

It’s an idea of open-source cities, in which anyone can participate.

Cities are fantastically complex systems of systems, but we all

understand them at least in part. Gamification is one way to

harness this understanding in order to successfully address the

complexity, to truly explore the “algorithms of urbanism” and apply

this to the future.

The timing could not be better. The problems of city-building are

becoming harder, more pervasive and more complex. The outcomes

of our plans and designs are more important than ever, the time

frames more compressed. We don’t have a century to build a city –

we’ve got six months to create something that might last centuries

or even millennia; we’ve got to make sure we get it right. This is

particularly the case after a natural disaster.

And, the challenges keep increasing. Globally, hundreds of millions

of people are moving to cities each year. Living conditions for

much of that population are not very good. Natural disasters occur

regularly leaving hundreds of thousands of people homeless. Our

industry is called upon to figure out how to plan, design and build

better, more efficient, more resilient cities, faster than ever before,

using less money and much less in the way of resources. This is

where an approach like gamification can really be helpful.

Gamification has potential applications internally and externally.

The teams that plan, design and construct buildings and cities

include talented and experienced people from myriad professions.

It is rare, however, that an entire team – dozens, hundreds, even

thousands of people—gets to work together collaboratively at a

point where all suggestions are acceptable and the goal is to test

as many ideas a possible and find those ideas and bits of ideas that

work, and aggregate them towards some sort of solution. Internally,


gamifi cation has enormous potential to enable these teams to work

together better, faster, more effi ciently, and more effectively.

Externally, gamifi cation is a way to crowdsource the planning and

design of our cities, to tap into the collective, to solicit ideas, to

allow ideas to grow and be challenged or adopted, adapted and

modifi ed. It’s a swarm approach whose role, at this stage, may be

to inform the consulting team, to provide additional data and input,

to suggest ideas, and to generate innovative ways of addressing

critical issues. It’s also a way to build a political constituency for a

project or an idea.

The full potential of this approach has yet to be harnessed. All the

major planning and design consultancies are adept at a range of

simulation and visualisation techniques. They all recognise that

planning, design and construction are team efforts, and many

techniques have evolved to engage many participants in the design

process. Design charrettes can be seen as a primitive form of

gamifi cation, and new IT and communication tools allow teams

to come together from any point on the globe to test ideas and

approaches. In addition, any project of any size has some form of

community engagement, both to solicit input and to keep the public

appraised of progress.

Cities are, by nature, collaborative efforts. Gamifi cation is a way

to radically enhance the collaborative process. However, while

the traditional building industry tends to be slow to adopt new

approaches, technology companies seem eager to take on this

challenge. This includes large IT companies like IBM, CISCO

and Esri, start-ups like MindMixer and PlaceMatters, global

conglomerates such as Siemens, and simulation and visualisation

companies such as Autodesk. They are working with the large EA

fi rms, who, in turn, are working with many of the world’s cities.

The universities are playing a role, and individuals and small

“pop up” urbanism groups are able to get involved because of

the increasingly ubiquitous access to data, the almost unlimited

computing power of the cloud, and the ever-growing sophistication

of software.

A new version of SimCity is coming out this March. From what

I’ve read, it’s light years ahead of the last version. If so, it really

indicates the potential to apply game technology and game

approaches to urbanism. The challenge, and the opportunity, for

the building and construction industries is to learn how to play

SimCity for real.

GAMIfICATION STATS • half the internet population – 510 million

people worldwide – play social games

• This number has increased in 71% since 2010

• 81 million people play social games at least once a day

• Spend on average 9.5 hours per week on social games

• Gamers spend on average $42.7billion on virtual currency or items which they buy at least once a week

• 32 is the average age of an Australian gamer

• 47% of gamers are female

• 58% of social gamers are over 40 years old

• 8% of people access the games from a mobile phone

• 901 million users of facebook

• Spend an average of 405 mins on facebook per month

• Gamers currently spend about uS$14 per month on gaming

• Spend on social gaming by gamers

projected to reach $11.3billion by 2016


Qs Kit

OUR TOp bUSINESS AppSApps or “mobile applications”, are software applications

designed to run on mobile devices such as smart phones

and tablets.

Originally used for basic information sourcing or general

admin based tasks (diary management, emails, weather

forecasts, stock market update), the production of apps

is now a multimillion dollar enterprise that is making a

massive impact in the way we work and play.

Like them or loathe them, there is no escape. With hundreds -

even thousands - on the market, that can change the way you

operate and work, taking the time to understand them now can

make life that little bit easier in the future.

BE went snooping into the phone of our tech-savvy CEO,

Michael Manikas, to see what apps are currently assisting him

in his day-to-day tasks. Here’s what we found.

EvERNOTECOST: fREE

CONvERTUNITS – THE SCIENTIfIC UNIT CONvERTERCOST: fREE

DROpbOxCOST: fREE

Evernote is a free app that works across all of your devices, from

your smart phone to your tablet and PC. It allows you to remember

all of the important information in the one place and stay organised

in a hectic work day. You can take notes, capture images, create

lists and voice recorded memos – which are then created into notes

that you can access at home, work or on the go.

bE’S TOp THREE fEATURES:- Works across all devices

- Completely “searchable”

(even text within images)

- Can email and share notes at

the click of a button

Whether it’s area, distance, moles, temperature, weight, volume

or velocity ConvertUnits makes the conversion of scientific units a

breeze. This app is useful when working on heritage or overseas

projects where it’s necessary to convert imperial to metric.

bE’S TOp THREE fEATURES:- Simple and easy to use

- Time efficient and reliable

- Accurate to three decimal

points

Dropbox lets you save and send large files globally without the

hassle of downloading enormous and time consuming attachments.

You can access photos, videos and large files from any device

and you get 2GB of space when you sign up. AIQS currently uses

Dropbox to save and send our meeting minutes for National Council

to reduce unnecessary printing costs.

bE’S TOp THREE fEATURES:- Allows you to bring your files

with you when you’re on the go

- Adds files to your Favourites

for fast, offline viewing

- Share freely with friends

and family


Qs Kit

fLIpbOARDCOST: fREE

GOOGLE TRANSLATECOST: fREE

TRADIESCOST: fREE TO DOWNLOAD*

pREzICOST: fREE

All the news and updates you want in the one central place. This

time-saving app lets you personalise what type of breaking news

you want to receive. Simply pick a few topics and it will automatically

populate your Flipboard with the updates you care about from around

the globe. You can also include your social networking sites to get

regular updates from Facebook and Twitter – genius.

bE’S TOp THREE fEATURES:- Voted Apple’s App of the

Year for 2012 – that is good

enough for us!

- You can share content to your

Facebook account

- It’s slick and stylish making

it a great reading experience

This fantastic app enables you to translate words and phrases

across over 60 languages. You can even speak the phrase into the

phone and hear the corresponding translation read back to you.

It also includes dictionaries so you can look up words and their

definitions, even in foreign scripts and alphabets.

bE’S TOp THREE fEATURES:- Voice recognition feature

- Displays translation in full

screen for ease of showing

others nearby

- Allows you to access your

translation history even

when offline

Tradies is a mobile office tool for construction and trades providing

quick and easy site diaries/dailies, variations/change orders,

request for information, invoicing quoting, purchase orders, tender

requests, site instructions and subcontract agreements. All of

which can be emailed in PDF format.

* To preview items and/or email PDF reports, you will need to purchase Tradies either by individual module or the complete app as a package.

bE’S TOp THREE fEATURES:- A one-stop shop for your site

organisation needs

- Easy to customise to your

business/project specifics

- Minimises piles of paperwork

Available as an app, in order to work in conjunction with your

desktop version, Prezi lets you create creative and intuitive

presentations that can be shown or edited anywhere. With multi

touch function, you can drag and zoom into key areas of the

presentation, just as you do in Google maps, for a presentation

experience with a difference.

bE’S TOp THREE fEATURES:- Multi language interface

- Colourful and interactive

- A smart web-based

alternative to powerpoint


sociAl

NSW CHApTER CHRISTMAS DRINKS30 Knots BAR, sydnEy tuEsdAy 18tH dEcEmBER


sociAl

If you have held or attended an AIQS event in your area and want to feature it in the Social Pages please send the event details and photographs with the names of who is in the picture to [email protected]

vICTORIAN CpD EvENTQuAntity suRvEying in ElEctRicAl sERvicEs, wEdnEsdAy 13tH FEBRuARy

DUbAI CpD EvENTcontRActs AdministRAtion And nEgotiAtionHolidAy inn, duBAi5tH FEBRuARy 2013


The Building Economist - March 2013 - The Future Issue

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