Building Australia

Fire Prevention Consultants

admin — Mon, 17 May 2010 03:59:03 +0000

Most countries have made it mandatory for commercial buildings to have adequate fire protection systems installed as a condition to granting of business licence to commercial establishments. The design, package and installation of fire protection equipment have to comply with the relevant statutes, standards and codes of the local authorities. Failure to do so can result in heavy penalties for non-compliance.

Fire prevention equipment includes smoke detectors, small fire suppression systems, portable extinguishers, large fire alarm systems, sprinkler systems, explosion suppression systems, etc. The use of appropriate fire protection equipment would depend on the size of the building, the materials used for construction, the type of furnishing, the nature of materials stored in the building, the type of electrical wiring and installation, etc.

Fire prevention consultants have a thorough knowledge of the combustible nature of every material used in building construction. They perform fire modelling that includes fire development, growth and movement, structural response to fire, evacuation of personnel, etc. This is particularly necessary for the modern large commercial complexes and industrial establishments. Such fire protection service consultants are also helpful in bringing old and historic buildings to adequate safety standards. They should ensure compliance with the January 2003 amendments to Building Code of Australia (http://www.environment.gov.au/settlements/energyefficiency/buildings/code.html) so that there is no room for any problem in complying with the governmental regulations on fire fighting systems.

Fire suppression systems are effective in buildings that house telecommunication facilities, halls and museums containing valuable artefacts, data processing centres, etc. Portable extinguishers are necessary for small offices, cinema halls, auditoriums and other places where people assemble. Extinguishers come in several models such as cartridge operated type, wheeled type, kitchen class type, etc.

Fire alarm systems are a must in any commercial building today. Fire alarm systems should have a fast response and should be integrated with the fire extinguishing equipment usage, so that the hazard is minimised and controlled at the lowest possible level. Large commercial and industrial establishments have sprinkler systems with a full assembly of spray nozzles that come in open types and automatic types. They also have several nozzle orifice sizes and spray patterns to suit all types of applications. The materials used for fire control and extinguishing are also different according to the need, like carbon dioxide, dry chemical, foam, water, etc. Nowadays, in large establishments, the fire protection equipment and the fire protection installation carry ISO certifications to meet the high standards required. Fire fighting equipment manufacturers and suppliers and fire fighting service consultants in Australia can be easily approached for effective fire management system in the buildings, since nearly all of them are listed in several trade directories available in the country.

Glass Merchants and Glaziers

admin — Mon, 17 May 2010 03:57:43 +0000

Modern life cannot be thought of without a few essential products like steel, cement, plastic and glass. Glass holds a special place in present day living, serving humanity in several ways. As such, glass merchants / glaziers are indispensable in today’s construction work. Insulated glass and specially treated glass are used in buildings for keeping the inside air either warm or cool, while providing adequate condensation.

This glass contains sound control qualities also and is used in halls and auditoriums for better acoustics. Doors and windows are made safe and secure with the use of tempered glass and laminated glass. Modern commercial complexes, the glass panels not only reduce the necessity of artificial lighting but also provide a distinctive and attractive look and façade to the entire building. Even homes are made to look bright, inviting and airy by the creative usage of glass doors, large windows, skylights, sunrooms, etc.

Glaziers are a specialised profession. They select, cut, install, remove and replace all types of glass in buildings. Those who are experts in residential glazing undertake jobs that include the installation of glass mirrors, glass doors and windows, fitting glass for tabletops, display cases, etc., shower doors, bathtub enclosures, etc.

Commercial glaziers concentrate on entire interior decoration projects, installing heavy, etched and decorative type room dividers, security windows, panels, glass doors, walls, skylights, etc. on a large scale. In commercial establishments like supermarkets, banks, auto dealerships, etc. glaziers do the installation or the replacement of entire storefront windows. In large commercial buildings, glaziers also undertake the work of metal framework extrusions to hold glass panels, curtain walls, etc.

The third type of glaziers concentrate on the automotive industry, installing, repairing and replacing glass in automobiles and trucks.

In nearly all the glass related work, the glass merchants /glaziers pre-cut the glass and mount it in frames. This is done either in a factory or in the shop of that particular contractor. Then the glass is transported to the construction site. If the glass is large and heavy, hoists or cranes are used to lift the glass to its fitting place. When the glass is positioned properly, it is secured with materials like putty, paste-type cement, mastic, rubber gaskets, glazing compound, metal mouldings, wood mouldings, metal clips, etc. Normally, the most used method is to have a rubber gasket, which is a moulded, thick, half rubber tube, having a split running along its length. This gasket is secured around the perimeter in the opening or in the pre-designed frame and the glass is set into the split of the gasket. The gasket clamps the edges and holds the glass in place. Glazing compounds, metal clips, etc. are also used by them wherever needed using their expertise in glass installation work. To cut glass, glass merchants / glaziers use hand tools, glass cutters, suction cups, glazing knives, etc. and also power tools like cutters, drills, saws, grinders, etc.

There are several reputed and renowned glass merchants / glaziers and their details could be obtained from the several trade directories available in Australia.

Commercial & Industrial Cleaning

admin — Mon, 17 May 2010 03:57:22 +0000

From private homes to large business establishments, cleaning of the premises is an essential work that needs to be done regularly. Whether it is the living space of the house or the work space of the business or the garages, restrooms, furniture, fans, ducts, etc., all of them require regular cleaning. Since even a working couple find it difficult to clean a small house regularly, it would be very difficult for large business houses to have their own in-house staff for attending to all aspects of cleaning. This inadequacy is duly filled in by private cleaning contractors. There are specialist cleaning contractors for commercial and industrial establishments. They are available in all the states of Australia.

Commercial & industrial cleaning contractors normally work only on hourly basis, with a set number of hours per day . To cite an example, a cleaning contractor might undertake a cleaning contract of your establishment for four hours a day and five days a week. The fees charged by the industrial & commercial cleaning contractors would depend on the number of hours per week spent by them. Further, the number of rooms to be cleaned, the type of cleaning required in each room and the amount of furniture and equipment in each room would also play a significant part in their fees structure decision.

There are different types of jobs involved in cleaning. They include dusting, wiping and cleaning desks, furniture, doors, windows, etc., taking out and emptying garbage, supply of cleaning materials and room fresheners, toilet paper, tissues, floor, wall and ceiling cleaning, cleaning of pipelines and water tanks, curtains & blinds cleaning, carpets/mattresses cleaning, etc. Each type of cleaning requires a different kind of cleaning job. Hence, the charges of the cleaning contractors would vary according to the types of cleaning jobs, apart from the number of hours devoted by them for cleaning.

The cleaning of commercial & industrial establishments could be awarded to cleaning contractors or local cleaning services on a per-job basis, calling them as required or on a permanent basis, with fixed weekly or monthly payments. A proper decision on this should be taken only after considering the size of the establishment and the amount of cleaning required in the premises, along with the need of regularity in cleaning period. Individual householders could afford to use the services of cleaning contractors once every few months. Commercial & industrial establishments would do well to have continuous cleaning operations on an ongoing basis. In Australia, cleaning contractors are listed in the local directories available in the country.

Security Systems in Australia

admin — Mon, 17 May 2010 03:56:57 +0000

Threats to individual homes and business houses are becoming quite unimaginable and unpredictable nowadays. From petty thieves to suicide bombers, the list is a bit unnerving. There is no room for complacency or for taking things easy. The threat is not only to the valuables and property but also to the individuals, whether it is the residents of a home or the employees of a business house. In spite of the above fact, the installation of good security systems is always done as a grudging purchase. This is because people are not clearly able to weigh the advantages and costs of a good security system with the possible losses that could occur in a threat situation.

There is a specific pronouncement in Work Cover Australia that businesses should have an effective answer to the question, “What is the potential risk for harm to staff?” The statute stipulates that the risks to staff have to be minimised as much as possible. This would entail the installation of alarm and panic buttons, burglar alarm systems and CCTV security camera coverage technology, with alarm monitoring service. To cite an example, recently a major supermarket chain in Australia was found to have failed in the installation of security systems that included panic alarm buttons. This came to light when an inquiry was conducted after an armed hold-up in the supermarket. The supermarket chain was fined $95,000 for this failure. They could have as well installed a very good security system for this amount.

The installation of end-to-end security systems is quite advantageous both to individual homes, as well as to business houses. These security systems are highly cost effective solutions in protecting the safety of employees and clients, along with the valuables, properties and assets of the establishment, when compared to the potential losses in an adverse situation. These security systems normally include burglar alarm systems, CCTV security camera monitoring technology, access card systems, alarm monitoring services, etc. Nowadays, there are quite a lot of advanced security monitoring systems like GPRS technology, GSM technology, etc. that are able to retain the communication channels with the monitoring stations, even if telephone lines are severed. Such robust security solutions with base monitoring stations are a must for business houses in the present times of grave threats from all quarters.

Further, insurers also insist on good security system installations. Standards Australia stipulates that security solutions have to be maintained and reviewed at least once every year in all buildings for insurance purposes. Insurance for buildings without adequate security solutions is quite steep, attracting premium discount. Considering all these sensitive aspects, it is wise to install proper security systems, whether it is an individual house or a large business establishment. There are a large number of professional security solution providers in Australia.

Building Materials

admin — Mon, 17 May 2010 03:56:17 +0000

Building construction is a vast subject, ranging from the construction of a small individual home to tall skyscraper commercial complexes and huge malls. The construction of non-residential buildings like hospitals, courts, schools, etc. require specialised design knowledge and use of different type of building materials. The building materials required will have a wide variance according to the size and the budget of the said construction. Even between two individual homes of the same size, there can be a huge difference in the materials used, depending on the budget allocation. A simple home can be constructed with a few building materials, while a similar home of the same size can use a large variety of materials if there is no constraint on the budget.

The January 2003 amendments to Building Code of Australia have specified measures and regulations on building construction and the type of building materials that can be used in Australia. This has been done with the intention of achieving minimum energy requirements of new buildings and major refurbishments and energy efficiency measures are completely met with. The inclusion of energy efficiency measures is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) is a subsequent initiative of the Australian government to include all the levels of the government and representatives of the building industry.

An interesting item termed as the Building Assemblies & Materials Scorecard is being developed by the Centre for Design at RMIT University. This tool is expected to help users to find the actual environmental impact of building products and building assemblies. The new tool considers the impact of the entire building assemblies, not just the individual products, like the impact of using both timber & plaster for a wall. Another study reveals that the major constructions are proliferating around coastal Australia areas and the incidence of solar radiation is very high over a major portion of the Australian mainland. This affects organic materials and metal surfaces severely and products that work well in other countries are found wanting in Australia many times. Hence, special care is needed to be taken while choosing the building materials. It will be best if leading experts in the field, be it architects, engineers or developers, are considered and consulted in this sensitive matter, to avoid later problems and save long term costs.

Some of the most essential building materials can be listed as follows:

Bricks & tiles
Ceilings & Wallboard
Cement
Decorative Concrete
Doors
Drainage Products
Elevators
Faucets
Fireplaces
Flooring
Home Automation Products
Insulation
Lighting
Pipes & Plumbing Fixtures
Roofing
Spas & Saunas
Wood & Joinery

Many of the leading building materials suppliers are expected to participate in the Designbuild Perth 08 Exhibition and the Perth Plumbing Show to be conducted in the city of Perth

between October 17 and October 19 this year. The site has provided a list of the exhibitors that have consented to participate in this Designbuild Perth 08 exhibition. There are several trade directories available in Australia, through which building materials suppliers can be located.

Building Designs

admin — Mon, 17 May 2010 03:55:31 +0000

Until recently, Australian architects and builders have been building designs similar to that of their counterparts all over the world. They have extensively used high performance glass with reflective coating and insulating glass in their high-rise commercial buildings and residential apartments. However, the introduction of the new building regulations is set to change the scenario drastically. Since these regulations are meant to make the buildings more energy efficient, the construction industry has to include low emissivity glass, higher performance toned glass and Solar Low E glass, etc. in their building designs.

The understanding of these new materials is very low in the industry. Regulators of the industry as well as the designers and developers have to realise the benefits of the above products, the resultant energy consumption and the potential reduction in the emissions of greenhouse gases.

In the 1990s, the Australian government initiated studies into the relatively new subject of greenhouse gas emissions of residential and commercial buildings. These studies revealed that the construction industry must become more sensitive to environment and at the same time maintain economic efficiency. Subsequently, in March 1999, the Australian government reached an agreement with the building industry regarding strategies for making the buildings of the country more energy efficient. According to the agreement, the government and the industry will support and encourage voluntary best practices in building designs and construction.

The Building Code of Australia was incorporated with a single standard for adherence to minimum performance requirements so that the worst energy performance practices followed by the industry in the name of aesthetics were totally eliminated in the phased manner. The Australian government guidelines for building designs with higher energy performance can be found in the Building Code of Australia and the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme.

The Australian Council of Built Environment Design Professionals (BEDP) (http://www.bdp.asn.au) is the summit organisation that represents more than 96,000 architects, engineers, planners, quality surveyors, landscape architects, and lighting designers in Australia. The BEDP is planning to submit a report on Future Directions to the government on the designs of the Built Environment. This report will highlight the challenges faced by the construction industry professionals in building designs. It is expected that the report will raise the possibility of achieving some relief in the hardships faced the construction industry professionals. They have been complaining about the difficulties in adhering to all the norms of the Building Code, which can be quite daunting at times.

The best place to learn everything about the latest building designs in Australia will be the Designbuild Perth Exhibition to be conducted in Perth between October 17 and October 19 this year. More than 120 exhibitors will display wide-ranging building design products like frames & structures, windows/glass & doors, kitchens & bathrooms, heating & cooling, concrete, plumbing, etc. The stress on sustainable building with the latest in the line will be at display at the Green Building Zone, which will incorporate the exclusive Ecospecifier Pavilion.

Excavation

admin — Mon, 17 May 2010 03:54:59 +0000

Excavation is normally associated with archaeology, while excavations done in the field of civil engineering are generally classified and included in a much broader term ‘earthworks’. Earth working is an engineering action that is done when massive quantities of soil or rock are moved. This act was done in a crude fashion several centuries ago. However, it slowly evolved as an exact science, with the engineers calculating the issues of soil fluidity, friction, quantity estimation, etc. so that the volumes of soil in the cuts or digs matched those of the fills.

These calculations were done manually with a slide rule, using Simpson’s Rule and other similar methods. However, the advent of computers has brought in specialised software for these calculations.

Huge quantities of soil, rock and other materials had to be moved out in earthwork engineering due to the gigantic dams and other similar construction works that started in the last two centuries. This led to the birth of excavation and earth moving machinery and equipment like scrapers, loaders, trucks, graders, bulldozers, backhoes and dragline excavators. This equipment facilitated massive earthwork engineering in the construction of roads, dams, dikes, bunding, canals, tunnels, and in the mining industry. In fact, in Australia, the mining industry flourished in a big manner after the advent of excavators and other earth working machinery.

It will be interesting to know that the inspiration for the design of huge excavators was the simple steam shovel. However, modern-day excavators can dig and displace very large amounts of soil, mud and other material. Excavators have a cab type construction mounted on a rotating platform, sitting on top of an undercarriage that has got several sets of wheels or wheels with tracks. They also have an articulated arm type arrangement, which is known as a boom or a stick and there is usually a bucket type of attachment at the end of the boom. The cabs can rotate through 360 degrees for easier operation. The bigger excavators are referred to as caterpillar excavators, since their boom can bend like a caterpillar. Komatsu of Japan is known as the number one producer of hydraulic excavators in the world. Some of the excavators and earthmoving equipment suppliers in Australia can be found in the site kellysearch.com.

Excavations with these machines involve activities like digging of foundations, holes and trenches, handling of mud, soil, rock and other materials, demolition of existing structures, general grading and landscaping, heavy lifting like lifting and placing of huge pipes, river dredging, brush cutting with special hydraulic attachments, and last but not the least, mining, both open pit mining and underground mining.

The mainstay of the Australian economy is its mining industry. The mining companies of Australia that excavate precious metals and minerals contribute about 5.6% of the gross domestic product of Australia. In 2006-07, more than 80% of the mineral and petroleum resources were exported, which was about 49% of the total goods and service exports (Australian Government, Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade). Australia is the world’s largest exporter of coal, iron ore, diamonds, lead, zinc and zirconium, while being second in gold and uranium exports. This has been possible only by the advances in excavation technology achieved by that country and the expertise developed by the construction companies of Australia. The Sydney Harbour tunnel is a shining example of the advancements in the excavation technology in Australia.

Land Surveys

admin — Mon, 17 May 2010 03:54:35 +0000

Land surveys tell us where our land ends and where our neighbour’s begins. However, that is only one of the tasks of a qualified surveyor. You might not know that modern surveyors use computer imaging technologies and satellite links to monitor environmental hazards and changes; they forewarn us by predicting earthquakes, they map deep ocean floors, and they even help police track criminals by providing support at crime scenes. Many of them earn big money and wander to interesting parts of the world.

Surveying is no longer a plain, simple technology that it once was, when we saw a person using ordinary-looking instruments to measure a land area. The branches of modern survey science would definitely make us heady just with their names, like Cadastral Surveying, Engineering Surveying, Hydrographic Surveying, Mining Surveying, Geographical Information Systems, Photogrammetrists, Remote Sensing, Forensics, Archaeological, and Geodesy. However, the most fundamental of them, Land Information, still forms the mainstay of the survey industry.

In Australia, land survey can be undertaken only by those surveyors who are licensed by or registered with the Surveyors Boards in their respective jurisdictions. They can legally perform land surveys or cadastral surveys for marking the boundaries of various properties. It will be interesting to note that there are very few boundary litigations occurring in Australia, because of the professional approach and effective techniques of the Australian Surveyors.

Whenever land is subdivided, a property boundary survey becomes essential and unavoidable. A property survey is also taken up under the following circumstances:

When a property is bought, sold, invested in or developed.
If a boundary location is not clear or not known.
Before undertaking building improvements, like constructing extra buildings, putting up fencing, doing excavation, etc.
For stopping encroachments by neighbours.
For establishing rights of way and easements.
When a survey is recommended by a lending institution for loan/mortgage purposes.
When trees are felled or cut near the boundary line of the property.

Nearly all the surveyors in Australia are registered with The Institute of Surveyors Australia. Moreover, the Australian Collaborative Land Evaluation Program, which is funded jointly by CSIRO Land & Water and the Natural Heritage Trust, has been working for effective natural resource management in Australia, and has brought out several publications in this regard. All the required details regarding land survey in Australia can be obtained from these sites. The most interesting point to note is that surveyors are in short supply in Australia.

In Australia, all the branches of surveying are not directly covered by legislation, even though many of them are subject to very stringent technical standards and practical guidelines that have been issued by organisations like the Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying and Mapping (ICSM). However, cadastral surveying, which defines the boundaries of all land parcels in Australia, is a state responsibility. Currently, in each state, cadastral surveyors are governed and regulated by statutory boards called Surveyors Boards. Examples are the Land Surveyors Licensing Board of Western Australia, The Surveyors Board of the Australian Capital Territory, The Board of Surveyors of New South Wales, The Surveyors Board of South Australia, etc.
In Australia, land survey can be undertaken only by those surveyors who are licensed by or registered with the Surveyors Boards in their respective jurisdictions. They can legally perform land surveys or cadastral surveys for marking the boundaries of various properties. It will be interesting to note that there are very few boundary litigations occurring in Australia, because of the professional approach and effective techniques of the Australian Surveyors.

Whenever land is subdivided, a property boundary survey becomes essential and unavoidable. A property survey is also taken up under the following circumstances:
When a property is bought, sold, invested in or developed.If a boundary location is not clear or not known.Before undertaking building improvements, like constructing extra buildings, putting up fencing, doing excavation, etc.For stopping encroachments by neighbours.For establishing rights of way and easements.When a survey is recommended by a lending institution for loan/mortgage purposes.When trees are felled or cut near the boundary line of the property.Nearly all the surveyors in Australia are registered with The Institute of Surveyors Australia. Moreover, the Australian Collaborative Land Evaluation Program, which is funded jointly by CSIRO Land & Water and the Natural Heritage Trust, has been working for effective natural resource management in Australia, and has brought out several publications in this regard.

All the required details regarding land survey in Australia can be obtained from these sites. The most interesting point to note is that surveyors are in short supply in Australia.

Commercial and Industrial Air Conditioning

admin — Mon, 17 May 2010 03:53:55 +0000

General air conditioning systems include window type air conditioners, split type systems, variable refrigerant volume (VRV) systems, variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems, ducted air conditioning systems, chilled water systems and close control. The VRV/VRF systems are the latest innovations in air conditioning technology, with the possibility of operating up to 16 indoor fan coil units from one external condensing unit. As such, these systems not only save space but also result in considerable cost savings. These are the preferred systems in huge high rise office complexes, where space for putting up the external condensing units is at a premium.

These systems use the R22 refrigerant and R470c, which is a zero-ozone depletion, non-toxic refrigerant.

Cooling systems are of two types, evaporative cooling systems and process cooling systems. These systems are suitable for large commercial and industrial establishments. These systems are tailor-made for smaller and larger applications. Similarly, commercial heating systems and industrial heating systems comprise warm air heating systems, plaque heating systems, radiant heating systems and site decentralisation systems. All these systems run on gas, oil, electricity, hot water or steam, with optional condensing boiler technology that increases efficiency, while saving energy. These systems are either floor standing type or suspended type.

Ventilation services include constant fresh air circulation, removal of fumes, smoke, odours, etc. by dilution or direct removal methods, reduction of the risk of airborne infection, removal of water vapour generated by respiration, removal of excess heat, removal of hazardous gases like carbon dioxide, etc. and provision of a comfortable environment that is refreshing without being draughty by maintaining adequate air movement inside the designated area. These commercial and industrial ventilation systems concentrate on large air circulation and fume removal. At some places, the application could also include smoke / fire ventilation. These systems are ideal for factories like food processing units, warehouses, production units where heat generation is significant and large offices.

There are several specialist air conditioning consultants for commercial & industrial air conditioning in Australia. They design, install and maintain various types of air conditioning systems that comply with all the building regulations prevalent in Australia. These consultants can be approached by looking up local business directories available in Australia.

Normally, air conditioning is understood as the cooling of a room with an air conditioning machine. However, the term includes cooling, heating, ventilation, humidity control and smoke and fire ventilation services. Air conditioning for commercial & industrial applications is based on the above technologies, with specialised knowledge about the area to be air conditioned, the amount of cooling or heating or ventilation needed, the number of persons that would be present in that area on an average, etc. Air conditioning consultants for commercial and industrial air conditioning should be thorough with the January 2003 amendments to Building Code of Australia, which specify the several measures and regulations on building construction and the type of building materials that are allowed to be used in Australia.
General air conditioning systems include window type air conditioners, split type systems, variable refrigerant volume (VRV) systems, variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems, ducted air conditioning systems, chilled water systems and close control. The VRV/VRF systems are the latest innovations in air conditioning technology, with the possibility of operating up to 16 indoor fan coil units from one external condensing unit. As such, these systems not only save space but also result in considerable cost savings. These are the preferred systems in huge high rise office complexes, where space for putting up the external condensing units is at a premium. These systems use the R22 refrigerant and R470c, which is a zero-ozone depletion, non-toxic refrigerant.
Cooling systems are of two types, evaporative cooling systems and process cooling systems. These systems are suitable for large commercial and industrial establishments. These systems are tailor-made for smaller and larger applications.

Similarly, commercial heating systems and industrial heating systems comprise warm air heating systems, plaque heating systems, radiant heating systems and site decentralisation systems. All these systems run on gas, oil, electricity, hot water or steam, with optional condensing boiler technology that increases efficiency, while saving energy. These systems are either floor standing type or suspended type.

Construction Engineers

admin — Mon, 17 May 2010 03:53:25 +0000

Construction engineers specialise in several fields, right from the construction of small individual homes to large high rise commercial complexes to highways, railroads, airports, bridges, dams, production plants, mines, etc. These engineers require not only the knowledge of engineering but also the additional knowledge of management, economics, business procedures and human behaviour.

The functions of a construction engineer are varied. They require to do the basic building design, site layout survey, site testing, cost estimating, planning and scheduling the construction, materials procurement, selection of construction equipment, concrete mix design, selection of other construction materials like glass, etc. and above all safety engineering. The construction engineer should also be fully familiar with the various norms, stipulations, directions, statutes and other governmental regulations that are in force in the area of construction and the engineer should ensure that all these are fully complied with, so that there is no hindrance to building approval.

The work of a construction engineer starts with a survey of the specific land in which the construction is to be undertaken. This includes not just the physical verification of the land but also soil testing, aerial photography, etc. to ensure a safe construction. Next, the engineer should have a detailed discussion with the client to understand the construction needs, tastes and goals. The design of the building would depend on these factors to provide full satisfaction to the client and be completely functional after the construction.

After the approval of the design by the client, the engineer would ensure that all governmental approvals are obtained so that the actual construction work can be started. The engineer has to assemble all the materials required for the construction along with the construction equipment that might be needed. The engineer should also see to it that adequate labour is available in the site on a day-to-day basis for the smooth progress of the construction. It is important that the engineer adheres to the agreed construction schedule so that there is no delay and no cost escalation.

Towards the finishing stages of the construction, the engineer should verify that electrical installations, wood and glass work, etc. are completed according to the schedule and in compliance with the regulations and the original plan. It is the job of the engineer to ensure total quality at every stage of the construction and there is no compromise anywhere for any reason whatsoever. This will ensure that the building is constructed as per the original plan and there are no unwanted hassles either with the client or with the government authorities.

The engineer should also have several key skills like problem solving, decision making, monitoring, understanding human behaviour, etc. This is required to have a smooth and frictionless relationship with the labour force. The engineer should also scrupulously follow all safety standards so that there are no untoward incidents during construction. The engineer should be familiar with the January 2003 amendments to the Building Code of Australia, which specifies various measures and regulations on building construction and the type of building materials that can be used in Australia.

There are several leading expert construction engineers available in Australia. They can be approached by referring to the several trade directories available on construction engineers.