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Construction

Yesterday

Architect Luigi Rosselli at one of the four terrace houses which he designed and are being built using cross laminated timber. The terraces will be rented out.

This architect is building for himself – at a quarter of the cost

Luigi Rosselli is the designer of one of Sydney’s most controversial homes, but for his own investment, he’s using a novel material to build on the cheap.

This Month

An architects’ rendering of Northbridge Music Hall, due to open in inner Perth during summer 2026-27.

Live Nation spends $30m to stop tours skipping one city

Northbridge Music Hall promises to fill a gaping hole in the West Australian capital’s live performance ecosystem.

Render of the planned 21-level ARI Main Beach development, on a 1,355sqm site at 3555 Main Beach Parade in Gold Coast that Sydney developer ODUS and Metrics Credit Partners have acquired for $55.68m.

Metrics, Odus pair to develop $290m Gold Coast tower

Lower borrowing costs and more confidence about building costs is creating opportunities to tap the greater demand for housing, financier says.

In some parts of Australia, getting approval for a modest townhouse now takes longer than building one used to.

What’s holding us back from a better housing, transport and clean energy future

Australia doesn’t lack ideas for solving problems in housing, transport and clean energy, we lack institutions that can follow through and create change.

Andrew Leigh, newly appointed assistant minister for productivity will argue key institutional processes are holding back Australians’ standard of living.

Labor minister says ‘thickets of regulation’ need to be slashed

Assistant Minister for Productivity Andrew Leigh said government too often rewarded process over outcomes.

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BESIX Watpac CEO Mark Baker.

Builder Watpac warns of supply chain risk from new US steel tariffs

The increased uncertainty from a choppier global environment comes at a tough time for Australian contractors, just as conditions are slowing at home.

A finishing mill operator at BlueScope’s North Star steel mill in Ohio.

This Australian firm is set to win from Trump’s steel call

The US tariffs come amid a global oversupply of steel, with the OECD warning capacity will expand by 7 per cent by 2027, much of it in China.

May

Designer Jenny Ku at her Edmondson Park home.

Buyers will pay $118,000 more for energy-efficient homes

New figures show the importance of sustainability and long-term costs, not just up-front affordability, in the housing market.

CFMEU members at a May Day march.

CFMEU’s power base threatened as membership plunges

Leaked data shows membership in the construction union’s second-biggest branch has fallen by almost 17 per cent in the year to March.

Iwan Sunito’s business “success” is front and centre at Green Square Station.

Failed property developer targets commuters with selective CV

It’s the latest in a series of desperate attempts by Iwan Sunito to rebuild his reputation.

Smaller firms are less productive than bigger firms because they can’t achieve the same productivity gains from innovation, investment and economies of scale.

Why workers are building half as many homes as in the 1970s

While many factors are dragging down construction productivity, a critical contributor is the dominance of very small businesses.

Sewage leak in Salesforce towers
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Sewage leak in Salesforce towers

A sewage leak caused issues in the foyer of Salesforce Tower on Friday.

The union claimed this week’s Snowy Hydro strike shut down the entire site.

Snowy Hydro 2.0 facing wave of 24-hour strikes

More than 1000 workers at the troubled mega project have notified another 24-hour strike and will consider more industrial action each week until they reach a deal.

Rich Lister and property developer Max Beck speaking at the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce Property Forum.

‘Problem, what problem?’ Developer Max Beck talks up Melbourne market

The Rich Lister is an outlier in an industry that is up in arms over Victoria’s property taxes, warning housing supply is being choked.

Policies in place are good, but more change is needed to boost housing supply: Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz.

The 262,000-home shortage Australia needs to fix

Lower interest rates and stable costs have improved the housing outlook, but reforms are needed to fix the undersupply.

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The Logan Hospital construction site south of Brisbane.

Contractor winning Qld projects denies link to $53m tax bill

The business has denied any connection to a string of companies that collapsed owing tens of millions.

Baked-in emissions: Embodied carbon is going to become a growing concern for builders.

There’s another feasibility hurdle to new housing projects

Carbon content is going to become an increasing consideration for housing projects. In some countries, it’s already enough to prevent a building permit.

The James Hardie and Azek merger makes no strategic sense

James Hardie already had a long run growth runway in front it. It doesn’t need the Azek deal.

Claiming guarantees: Developer ESR is claiming guarantees over the Amazon warehouse project Roberts Co VIC was building in Craigieburn, before the company went into administration in March.

Bond providers the latest casualty of Roberts Co failure

The failure of Roberts Co Australia widens the fallout of a company with ambitions to become a top contractor, but which is now just another failed builder.

Almost there: Work has resumed on Golden Age’s office tower at 130 Little Collins Street, where work halted in March after builder Roberts Co VIC went into administration.

Construction restarts on $180m Melbourne tower after builder collapse

Golden Age Group’s project was one of four Roberts Co Vic projects that fell into limbo when it went into administration.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/construction-hqj