A grant of close to $10.3 million will support a four-year research project focused on transforming the construction sector in New Zealand using Construction 4.0 approaches HERA, the heavy engineering research association, has been successful in the 2022 round of the prestigious Endeavour Fund, which supports important scientific research projects seeking to address some of our biggest challenges. Continue →

The construction industry is turning to new technology and updating business practices to address mental health challenges that are plaguing the industry, new research finds The Optus Business Construction Industry Pulse 2022 report, conducted by ACA Research, found 45% of construction business owners say their employees had issues with mental health and wellbeing during the first two years of the pandemic. Continue →

The Commerce Commission is recommending the establishment of a centralised digital national key products registry to increase trust and confidence in residential building supplies A national products register would act as the primary reference source for information about building products, including the information that will be required to be disclosed as a result of the building law reforms, the Commerce Commission says. Continue →

While digitalisation in the construction sector helps with the challenges of an increasingly competitive market, a by-product of this is attracting tech-savvy talent, Rob Bryant from InEight says Historically, the construction industry has been slow to keep up with the pace of an advancing digital world. Continue →

While New Zealand construction companies are more likely to embrace technology and sustainability than their Australian counterparts, they are spending more time on rework or fixing defects, a Procore report reveals Procore’s How We Build Now report found that one in every six hours (16% of project time) is spent on rework – a clear sign of lost productivity in an industry facing challenging market conditions. Continue →

Construction and demolition waste poses a special challenge for recyclers – it comprises a lot of different tough materials and it is difficult to separate pollutants, Waste Management World reports. Continue →

Giving construction workers access to technology such as augmented reality (AR) will not only combat soaring resource costs, but help attract young people to construction roles, says GlobalData. Continue →

A builder walks into a room full of big-name property developers and asks them to stump up millions of dollars so his company can finish their projects. Continue →

Supply chain disruption and rising material costs are putting additional pressure on construction firms already stretched thin, with many now turning to digital solutions, says Payapps Chief Operating Officer Tony Simonsen According to the latest New Zealand Core Logic data, construction costs in New Zealand have increased by 6.2 percent last year, largely due to rising commodity and raw material prices. Continue →

The collapse of Australian construction firm Probuild is unfortunately just one of the many detrimental outcomes we can expect to see unless more is done to effectively manage risks, Felix Chief Executive Mike Davis says Probuild will likely remain stalled for now, leading to more delays and cost overruns, compounding the adverse outcomes for owners, subcontractors, staff and significant ripple effects throughout the industry and wider community. Continue →

Organisations in construction are operating blindly against an evolving backdrop of supply chain risks and changing business landscape, due to a staggering lack of transparency, procurement platform Felix reveals in its Building in the Dark report The report, developed in collaboration with industry consultancy Entwine, uncovers critical industry need for more supply chain transparency and effective risk management. Continue →

The cost of both residential and non-residential construction rose more than 10% last year and similar forecasts are expected for 2022 according to the NZ Infrastructure Commission’s Quarterly report “Infrastructure providers, property developers, and households are trying to build more than ever, but labour shortages, material supply chain bottlenecks, and Covid-induced slowdowns have gotten in the way,” says Commission Director of Economics, Peter Nunns. Continue →

Construction in most of New Zealand has been operating under the Orange setting of the Covid-19 protection framework – SiteSafe and CHASNZ have worked with the industry to develop protocols for operating under the Red setting Site Entry Keep a record of who is on site, and when, every day as you may be required to track back for contact tracing. Continue →

The Construction Sector Accord has published new guidance to support government buyers and industry suppliers in applying broader outcomes in construction procurement Broader outcomes are the additional benefits that can be achieved by the way a service, project or goods are produced or delivered. Continue →

We may have moved away from major lockdowns, but that doesn’t mean we are home free when it comes to avoiding the pandemic’s impact on construction projects, Civil Contractors New Zealand reports There is still potential for Covid-19 cases to force mandatory site shutdowns. Continue →

Construction insolvencies made up a quarter of all business insolvencies in the country, spurred further by construction cost rises due to increased demand and supply shortages, the Australian Constructors Association finds Renee Mckeown – The Urban Developer More needs to be done to increase productivity and reduce insolvencies before Australia’s infrastructure activity doubles to the projected $52 billion in 2023. Continue →

The adoption of 4.0 technologies in the construction industry will boost productivity and increase wages by billions, BERL research finds Dr Troy Coyle, HERA Chief Executive Construction 4.0 is the name applied to the technologies that are driving the next great industrial revolution, as applied to the construction sector. Continue →

CHASNZ has released a set of new protocols for the construction industry once New Zealand enters the new Covid-19 Protection Framework on December 3 A construction industry advisory group revised the previous COVID-19 Alert Level system construction protocols in response to the Government’s recently announced COVID-19 Protection Framework – also known as the Traffic Light system. Continue →

For over eighteen months, the construction sector has experienced unprecedented project delays, budget blowouts, and shortages of labour, says Rob Bryant InEight EVP of APAC Rob Bryant In Australia, construction site closures in New South Wales have contributed to timeline overruns, in addition to costing the building sector a conservative estimate of $1 billion per week in that state alone.    Continue →

A new study highlights the challenges we currently face around construction material supply and what needs to be done to overcome these challenges, says New Zealand Infrastructure Commission Chief Executive Ross Copland New Zealand faces challenges in meeting demands for key construction materials for infrastructure, with a risk of delays to major projects. Continue →