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Education

Pembroke School – Environmental Sustainability and the New Middle School Building

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Successful construction is ultimately about delivering end user satisfaction while ensuring best practices are used to maximise the lifecycle and sustainability of the building. What better way to achieve this outcome than to engage with the end users themselves – the students who will move into the space next year!

Sarah Constructions are currently building Pembrokes New Middle School Building and have engaged the Pembroke Y6 students – who will be the first to occupy the building – as consultants during the construction process. This innovative addition to the curriculum saw Project Manager, Paul Marino, and Design Manager, Michael Kilmartin, work with the students over 3 workshops to answer the question:

‘How can we build a sustainable building within a residential area?’

The students were required to analyse the build in order to develop suggestions and alternatives for potential inclusion into their new building and provide feedback to us – the builder – in order to increase the overall sustainability of the project.

The task was set to choose a focus topic from a range of options across Design & Post Construction (Water, Energy, Material, Surroundings, Functionality) or Pre-Construction & During Construction (Project Environmental Management Plans, Dust & Material Tracking, Air Quality, Traffic, Erosion, Chemicals, Noise, Vibration and Rubbish etc).

Providing a different dimension to their usual curriculum, this exercise enabled the students to adapt their skills in alternate ways. Care was given to ensure the students were able to ‘think outside the box’ to find their own solutions; they were guided in the right direction, not led, and this approach produced some fantastic results. We received well researched, engaging presentations on their chosen focus topics –Native Planting, Water Wastage and Management, Energy Usage, Solar Power, Optimising Functionality, Sustainable and Local Materials, Recycled furniture, Recycling, Composting and Climate Change…just to name a few!

A real understanding of some complex topics was shown. Many groups identified real-world cost impacts; understanding buying in bulk to reduce unit pricing, calculating initial costs vs. ongoing costs, and balancing them with the environmental benefits of their chosen subject demonstrating an understanding beyond their years.

We only realise the value of water after the source runs dry. The importance of water and rainwater collection was clearly demonstrated, with a highlight being Layla’s working model of a rain water tank and sump pump. Not only were the practical benefits made clear, it was cost planned too – it doesn’t take long for a rain water tank to pay for itself!

We also learnt that the initial cost outlay for replacing the school’s standard taps with sensor taps would be well worth it in the long run for both the environmental benefits and the reduced water bills -thanks to Ty and Max!

 “Our students were so excited to take part in this project and have found this experience invaluable for future investigations.” Nicola May, Teacher – Pembroke School

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Pembroke Students Laila and Charlie present their working sump pump and rain water tank model

 Our Future vs. Aesthetics. What is more important?

The undercurrent of the day was the understanding that small changes really can make a difference; there was a realisation that our decisions and the choices we make can have a far-reaching impact and an understanding that our actions have value – just because it’s the way it has always been done, doesn’t mean it’s the way it should always be done. Stewart, Zachary and Rory’s presentation reminded us that even though we are a small part of the world as a whole, ‘we can still save the world with small sustainable changes.’

 “I think all the ideas were fantastic. A majority of the suggestions will be incorporated within the building in some shape or form which demonstrates how well the students undertook their research. In particular I liked the ideas of having compost bins for the removal of any fruit or vegetable scraps students would throw away which gave the school the ability to use as fertilizer etc. Also, the real demonstration of how a rainwater tank could be utilized within the building was impressive!”
Paul Marino, Senior Project Manager – Sarah Constructions

All of the students were confident in their approach and had a great understanding of their subjects. Innovative ideas were raised – many of which are already being included in the project – and they all demonstrated a fantastic ability to work as a team.

The manner in which the students presented and the level of detail and understanding shown was a credit to Pembroke and their collaboration with the Sarah team in the implementation of this program.

Their enthusiasm was infectious, and they managed to bring suggestions to the table that we had not yet heard of! Ashcrete, for example. A more sustainable alternative to concrete (which creates up to 5% of the worlds CO2 emissions), is made from 97% of recycled materials and is carbon neutral!

Sustainability is a growth sector for a number of commercial markets and an area of future education and potential employment for the students.

Through the delivery of this program we hope that we have sparked some interest in our industry – and inspired some of our future construction leaders! With some students already focusing on optimising the functionality and use of space within their new building, Architecture and Design may well provide a potential career path. This process has been a two-way journey whereby the students have learnt from us, but equally, we have learnt from them. Project Manager Paul shared that seeing the excitement on their faces, and knowing he played a small part in creating this amazing building, has provided him with personal and professional satisfaction. “This project with the students got me out of my comfort zone but it was such a rewarding experience.”

We look forward to seeing what changes Pembroke look to implement across the School as practical completion and handover draws closer, such as the suggestion for composting bins and new recycling initiatives.

The success of this project, and the value provided to both the School and to our team, has inspired us to encourage other clients – which could extend beyond the education sector – to utilise their construction projects as an opportunity for engagement and education.

We hope that participating in this project will not only provide the students with a greater connection to their new learning space, but that this process has made an impact on the way they approach building and sustainability in the future.

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Pembroke Students Lucy and Emily Presenting Green Futures
HiVIZ Building Excellence Awards Outstanding Woman in Construction Award Winner - Melisha Willington
Awards, Careers

Building Excellence Awards and Outstanding Woman in Construction

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with Melisha Willington

The Master Builders SA Building Excellence Awards showcase and award excellence in South Australia’s building and construction industry. This year saw the introduction of a new award category – the HiViZ Outstanding Woman in Construction Award.

As a workplace committed to supporting gender equality, Sarah are incredibly proud, that our very own Project Manager, Melisha Willington was the recipient of this prestigious award.

HiViZ is a Master Builders SA program to inspire industry change by promoting equality at entry level, discovering and highlighting issues, empowering women to see new career pathways and facilitating the development of coordinated solutions.

Melisha shares her thoughts on what it means to be recognised as an industry leader through receiving this award.

What does winning the “Outstanding Woman In Construction” award mean to you?

It is fantastic to be recognised by the industry you work in. Getting to this point has definitely included some hard yards and challenges, so this makes a lot of that worthwhile. It’s something tangible to say that I’m performing in my chosen profession. I also reflect and thank every team I have worked with, as they need to be part of this recognition also. Success is not achieved alone. As this was the inaugural Hi-Viz Woman In Construction Award, it was exciting to be the first recipient and know that there is now another industry program promoting equality, change and empowering people.

Why is it important to include recognition for women at the Building Excellence Awards?

The construction industry is seen as the last frontier for women with the percentage of women sitting around 12% or so, compared to men. Research also shows that women are 40% more likely to leave the construction industry than their male counterparts, so retention is a big issue. Factors contributing to this are; excessive working hours and constant deadlines compared to other industries, with little flexibility to manage these challenges in the workplace. Women are still culturally seen as the primary care givers, so when starting a family, managing a career in construction as well as their duties as a parent can seem impossible.

At the moment it’s not quite a level playing field for women, so it is important for women to see other women recognised in the construction industry and to also see them in leadership roles. Recognition can be achieved through targeted awards such as the MBA and other industry associations. Hopefully this will show that women are valued and their challenges within the industry recognised; as well as provide some inspiration, to keep persisting, when things get tough.

I believe, that normalising women in construction is the key to shifting the cultural norms within the industry. This will only be achieved through raising the number of women in construction roles and through promotion of women within the industry.

What do you enjoy most about working in the construction industry?

I enjoy the continual challenges, as well as, learning and working with a team to achieve a common goal. I like working with different teams and people from all walks of life; working together, to see something transform, and knowing that you have been a part of creating that.

I studied design/architecture at university and this lead me into construction and eventually project management. I love the creativity of design and architecture but now love to see it in its built form. It’s a physical industry where the effort injected into a project is evident at completion, with a new building, interior fitout or community space.

How are you supported at Sarah as a women in construction?

Sarah Constructions practice what they preach in terms of diversity and gender equality in the workplace. This stems from the top in Sarah’s leadership team, filtering down through their workforce to become part of the daily culture. In my experience at Sarah, I have never felt that I didn’t have the same opportunity as the other male project managers. I have also felt that my opinion was taken into consideration and I was listened to.

Simple things that make you feel valued but not always experienced in every workplace. If I put my hand up for a challenging project that was a bit different to what I had previously delivered, they said ok go for it, instead of me feeling like I had to prove myself. I have felt overwhelmingly supported by Sarah and this has been refreshing at this time in my career. Support has come in many forms such as:

  • A senior management team that is genuine in supporting their staff in a practical sense but also in terms of their well-being.
  • Sarah are actively involved in industry programs that promote gender equality and diversity in the workplace and encourage their staff to participate and be involved in these programs.
  • Professional development through participation in a leadership program, regular opportunities to attend industry events and training opportunities.
  • Being nominated for not just one but many different industry awards.

What advice would you give to young women considering a career in construction?

It’s a challenging industry for both men and women but with challenge comes reward and a greater sense of achievement. Aim high, follow your passion, back yourself and don’t take any setbacks personally. Keep persevering and learn to draw upon the resources around you. People love to help. Find a mentor through opportunities like the MBA’s Hi-Viz program, to provide you with further support.

If you’d like to know more about working in the construction industry, click here for information about careers at Sarah Constructions.

Building Excellence Awards 2018                                                                         

Sarah is committed to delivering the best results for our clients. We apply our solutions focused approach to every single project we complete. It is with pride and acknowledgement for the efforts of our staff, that we accept recognition for delivering award winning construction.

Sarah received Building Excellence Awards for the following projects this year:

St John’s Grammar, Performing Arts Centre – Winner Excellence in Commercial / Industrial Building $2 Million – $5 Million

Monarto Zoo, Lions 360 – Winner Excellence in Civil / Engineering Constructions

University of Adelaide, Infrastructure Investment Programme – Winner Excellence in Commercial Fitout over $5 Million.

Click here for a full list of building excellence awards that Sarah Constructions has received.

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Education

Collaboration And Long Term Planning, The Future Of Education Construction

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By Jon Anderson, Construction Manager

As a specialist in Education Construction, and on-site Construction Manager at the University of Adelaide, I take a keen interest in the future of education construction. In recent years, I have witnessed the education landscape being reshaped by globalisation and the digital revolution.

Students are increasingly conducting their lives through social media and online services and they now expect educational institutions to communicate with them online too. Education infrastructure of today therefore needs to not only include state-of-the-art equipment for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects; education spaces must also be updated to accommodate contemporary trends in delivery.

Governments are investing millions to upgrade and build new educational facilities to match these changes; and savvy education institutions are adopting a collaborative approach with master builders, including long term planning to future-proof their property.

In order to capitalise on this investment, we need to understand that Infrastructure is interconnected; each building upgrades impacts stakeholders and operations from one facility to the next. If construction experts are involved in the early stages of planning, the impacts can be taken into consideration long before any works begin.

It’s about collaborating to give the client the right advice to future-proof for the next wave of technology.

The future of education construction

Long term planning

With a dynamic and forward facing approach, the University of Adelaide (UoA) also looks to be at the leading edge of education construction. UoA has a Masterplan, a vision for the future of their institution up to 2035. By adopting sequential long term planning with early involvement from Sarah Constructions, UoA infrastructure upgrades can be mapped out as a programme of works, not just as individual projects.

This approach delivers a streamlined process and ultimately saves money. With foresight and planning, we’re able to add value to the design development process by proposing constructability improvements and future-proof efficiencies.

With a commitment to facilities that allows students to learn and grow, St Johns Grammar Performing Arts Centre provides another example of success through early planning. Sarah had considerable input into the design and worked closely with the architects from the beginning, researching and coordinating affordable design solutions that remained faithful to the overall vision.

It was due to this close collaboration and expert cost management that savings could be made and redistributed to afford what other builders deemed impossible within their budget: A light, open plan learning centre, complete with top of the range equipment and the “wow” factor of a spectacular atrium.

Collaboration

Education institutions, by their very nature, are all about the future. They’re in the business of nurturing our next inventors, politicians, teachers and builders. It’s important to recognise that life now is a little different to back when we were in school. The internet, computers and mobile technology have changed the world we live in, almost beyond recognition.

Personally, I believe this evolution has largely been for the better. As globalisation and IT has developed, we have become more connected and therefore more collaborative. Processes have been made faster and easier; we can do more and so we expect more. The future of education construction needs to reflect these changes and leave room for further development.

With the Margaret Ames Learning Centre at Immanuel College, a key requirement of the brief was to foster collaboration. To encourage students in original thinking, the learning centre included open plan learning areas, interconnecting classrooms plus first class IT and AV capabilities. Immanuel College has embraced future focused thinking; their new centre was the first secondary teaching space of its kind in South Australia.

Similarly, the new Common Teaching Area and breakout space in the Barr Smith Building at UoA showcases the kind of flexible learning environments that are needed to be future-ready. Multipurpose rooms suitable for classes in anything from Japanese Language to Forensic Science, coupled with an unconventional, open plan breakout space, keeps UoA at the cutting-edge of education and maintains appeal within their target markets.

Welcome to the future

It’s not just collaborative learning environments that pave the way for the future. It’s collaborative business operations too. At Sarah Constructions, we enjoy less contractual, more collaborative relationships, because we understand that we’re all experts in our respective fields.

Delivering great outcomes requires input from experts across industry which is why we take a collaborative approach with our consultants. In the same way as it benefits the client to involve us as early as possible, it benefits us to involve our consultants and sub-contractors as early as possible as well. We believe that the sooner people come on board and become familiar with your operations, the better.

Taking a long term planning approach to Education Construction means you can map out a pragmatic and proactive process for realising your vision in the most efficient, cost-effective way. With early involvement from construction experts, you’re beginning that process of growth and transformation on the front foot, armed with the practical expertise of a team that specialises in turning visions into lasting legacies.

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Education

St Mary’s College – Embracing Construction

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St Mary’s College have embraced the project currently underway at their School, working with us to gain as many positives as possible out of the experience for their students. Taking note of the interest shown by some of the students while the footings were being drilled (see image below), School Principal Clare Nocka arranged for our Project Manager Jay Johnson and Site Manager Bojan Stegnjaic to take the hot seat and sit down for an interview with the girls!

“We found out that we are about 15% of the way through the project and that the hardest part is building on the intersection of two main roads. We also learnt that just like in our school, one of the challenges is managing all the relationships involved in such a big project. One of Jay’s jobs is to keep everyone happy and there are lots of people involved. A building project in a school environment brings particular complexities because keeping the students safe and the school running is an important factor.

Bojan and Jay managed the interview hot seat very graciously and we are thankful for how well our builders are working with our school team. Maddie, Edie and Arabella were very good interviewers, even in their excitement! They were disappointed to learn that they would not get a chance to drive one of the giant machines but I think they enjoyed the experience nonetheless.”

The team at Sarah strive to ensure that our clients not only love the completed project, but also the journey they take to get there. We hope that taking an active part in this experience inspires some of the St Mary’s College girls to consider construction as a career – they might even get the opportunity to drive some of the ‘giant machines’ in the future!

News

The Year That Was – CEO Update – Adrian Esplin

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Growth and development are words that are often used loosely in our industry to describe business improvement.  At Sarah we can stand by these statements following the sustainable growth of our business over the last 3 years due to the aligned personal development of our staff.  People who know me well understand my drive to continually simplify business and life, to understand the key ingredients that brought together and managed in the right way, create success.

For me, this is all about people; having the right people aligned with our values and sharing the same goals as our business.  I take my role as CEO very seriously – most importantly the trust placed by staff in ensuring their safety, livelihood, job satisfaction and career development can be met here at Sarah.  What drives me to continually develop and grow our business is to ensure we have the right projects, culture and values to deliver this outcome.

We should all be proud of the achievements delivered to our customers over the last 3 years at Sarah.  We have doubled in size, whilst delivering more than three times the annual work revenue when compared to 2014.  We have earned a reputation for great quality, industry recognised through being awarded MBA’s Commercial Builder for 2017, whilst producing many award winning projects including two national winning projects in 2016, and again in 2017 at the MBA national awards.  However the greatest recognition is the repeat business of our customers and most importantly our staff choosing to stay and develop their careers with Sarah.

The future is bright as we continue to build great relationships with our existing and also new customers.  Our future is strong as we continue to build long lasting relationships with each other at Sarah and the many associated industries including architects, cost managers, project managers and all design disciplines.

The challenges to our business will only continue, however with sound business strategy, continuing to develop great relationships across the industry and maintaining our strong values, I’m certain our success will continue for many years to come – after all, we are only 57 years young!

Awards

MBA SA COMMERCIAL BUILDER OF THE YEAR SARAH CONSTRUCTIONS

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Congratulations to our dedicated and hardworking Sarah team as we were named Master Builders (MBA) SA Commercial Builder of the Year 2017, for the first time in our history at the recent awards evening. This would not be possible without the support of our loyal Clients, Consultants, Project and Cost Managers, Subcontractors and Suppliers.

We enjoy creating the many interesting workplaces and spaces for our Clients; we greatly value being part of their business transformation and the trust placed in us to deliver their critical infrastructure.

We truly value quality and safety, understanding the importance they play in forming a harmonious workplace during construction and later for our customers.  We see this award as not only an appreciation of the built form we deliver, but recognition of all organisations in the property cycle necessary to create industry leading infrastructure.

Joining Sarah some 3 years ago, our business has come a long way – our capability together with the development of our people has grown significantly enabling us to be part of delivering some of the most exciting and rewarding infrastructure in the South Australian Commercial market.

Well done to the Sarah team on the following awards:

 

$10m – $20m Commercial Excellence – Royal Flying Doctors Service

Commercial Excellence Fit out – Royal Flying Doctors Service

  • This landmark project is the first tenancy within the Adelaide Airports New Aeromedical Precinct and required creative solutions to ensure both the Airport and the RFDS’s expectations were met. The 12,850m2 facility was designed to bring the entire operation under one roof – enough room for six aircraft’s, another nine more on the tarmac, a 2,230m2 administration office, patient transfer areas and ambulance bays.  RFDS exists to deliver high quality care – their facility needed to demonstrate this important criteria through the quality of design and level of finish created in the built form. The level of detail delivered was extremely high, and upon completion Adelaide Airport said that this building had set a new benchmark for all future projects in and around the Aeromedical Precinct.

“When embarking on our strategic vision of developing a centre of aeromedical excellence for the benefit of our patients, consumers, staff and stakeholders, we required synergy with our innovation, leadership and experience from our build partners to achieve our design and operational intent.  Partnering with both Sarah Construction and Walter Brooke Architects enabled us to achieve this mission which has been recognised not only by winning “Building Excellence in Commercial / Industrial Construction and Fit-Out” but more importantly by the cause to action that has seen our patients and consumers benefit through the provision of an aeromedical facility that enhances our response to patient care, coupled with enriched staff satisfaction and stakeholder pride.  As the build progressed Sarah’s consciously shifted their focus from ‘construction’ to ‘development’ of the facility and our corporate partnership, taking a vested interest in ensuring that the facility would take pride of place in the aeromedical precinct of Adelaide Airport and set the benchmark standard for such operations within the aeromedical industry.  Construction may be complete, however, their dedicated interest in continuing to assist RFDS in ensuring our facility operates with innovation and their connection to our benevolent purpose remains a successful, ongoing and long-term partnership.”

Ollie Kratounis, General Manager, Business Development, Royal Flying Doctor Service Central Operations

 

$20m – $50m Commercial Excellence – Campbelltown Leisure Centre (The Arc)

  • The Arc is a key facility for The City of Campbelltown, providing a central hub for a broad range of community activates. The 10,000m2 project included the delivery of new timber stadiums with viewing areas, spacious change rooms, squash courts, café, clubrooms and a crèche. The centre also features Gym and weights rooms, aerobics & dance rooms and Aquatic areas including a sauna, relaxation & splash pad areas and a 25M X 25M lap pool with a dedicated plant room. The success of this project is greatly attributed to the collaborative approach adopted throughout the project. Sarah was proactive in converting this two stage project into one, this initiative achieved expediting the program by 8 months and provided significant cost savings to Council.

“Sarah’s offered up a large number of value add options and alternative design options to improve the project and reduce costs at the beginning and throughout the project. Given the complexity of the project, the team at Sarah’s were well experienced in working through challenges to achieve effective solutions. Strong communication was provided throughout the project to keep all parties informed, they also worked very hard to manage the relationship with surrounding residents to reduce the impacts of the project on them as much as possible.”

Kevin Lowe, General Manager Urban Planning and Leisure Services | The City of Campbelltown

 

$5m – $10m Commercial Excellence – Wilderness School

  • Sarah created progressive learning facilities for students in accordance with the campus master plan. The Wilderness projects were completed on time whilst maintain a fully functional school.  These projects included the Performing Arts Centre, Junior School, Science Facility, Memorial Hall and of course, the building named to honour the school’s founders, the “Brown’s House”.

“Sarah Constructions brought their expertise to bear in the pre-construction phase working closely with the school and the architects to ensure the best outcome.  They have been a key partner in working with the school to ensure our projects are completed in the most time efficient and cost effective way.  They understand the complexities of building within our operating school and have done so with sensitivity, flexibility and respect.”

Jane Danvers , Principal – Wilderness School