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Successful Delivery Of Large Scale Education Projects In South Australia

March 23, 2022 Sarah Leave a comment

The start of a new school year is always exciting, this year the South Australian Department for Education experienced even higher levels as it welcomed students to two brand new, purpose built “birth to year 12” (B-12) schools. Located in the outer metropolitan areas of Adelaide, the Angle Vale Riverbanks B-12 College and the Aldinga Payinthi College, the schools were delivered as a Public Private Partnership (PPP) project. Following a comprehensive procurement process, TESA Education comprising Tetris Capital, Dutch Infrastructure Fund, Sarah Construction and ISS Services was awarded the $240 million contract to construct and maintain the two schools, and the outcome is truly world class.

Deb O’Riley, Director New Schools at Department for Education, said, “our working relationship with Sarah Constructions through the TESA partnership has been one of ease and professionalism. The Department engaged Sarah to build 3 of the new schools opening in 2022, as well as a number of capital works projects in our existing education sites across the state. The teams we’re working with, across multiple sites, are dedicated to delivering the projects on time and in a friendly and professional manner.”

The high level logistical and management requirements to simultaneously construct two B – 12 schools, in two separate locations required sophisticated resourcing, operational, financial and project management. Underpinning Sarah’s successful delivery of these schools and at the same time also managing large education projects at Whyalla Secondary College and Murray Bridge High School, are three core areas: resourcing, communication and supply chain management. Sarah’s skill and commitment across these areas resulted in world class Educational facilities delivering modern pedogeological outcomes.

Aldinga Payinthi College Completion Fly Through

Resourcing – the right people for the job

Sarah Constructions have a long history delivering Education projects and are experts in this field. Sarah’s experienced internal resources created a strong project management team and the ability to partner with the best subcontractors to deliver across both sites.

Sarah’s PPP Project Director, Ben Layley, said “Sarah’s collaborative approach, not only with the project team members and the Department throughout the design and build phase but also with wider market partners to ensure that supply chains and subcontractor availability and resourcing would be sufficient, was critical in our ability to provide surety around delivery.”

The advantage of putting emphasis on people first in commercial construction is that it builds the foundation for mutually beneficial business relationships. Sarah CEO, Adrian Esplin explains “our business is purely about people. We don’t make products; through our team of experts we manage advanced problem processing. We’re a business that consists of people who are highly motivated to achieve great outcomes. Working with the people within the Department of Education and bringing together expert people from our design partners, we have delivered unique world class campus style educational facilities that will stand the test of time.”

Communication – actively building strong relationships

With a focus on mutually successful relationships, differences of opinion and challenging conversations were expertly managed through Sarah’s relationship first and solutions based win/win outcomes approach, which resulted in the enviable outcome of a dispute free PPP engagement.

Navigating the complex PPP contract structure required high standard, effective communication to deliver all parties objectives. “Working with numerous stakeholders each with differing measures of success, required close and active management. Building strong relationships within the project team and creating a collaborative project ethos was instrumental in the cohesion achieved within the project and the outcome that satisfied all of the different objectives” said Mr Layley.

For Alison Colbeck, Principal at the new Aldinga Payinthi College, Sarah’s strong communication and relationship building approach enabled “a thoughtful approach to pedagogy. As teachers we understand that the best learning environments are collaborative and not just within four walls, and working collaboratively with the Sarah team, that’s what has been designed and built. I’m excited and thrilled to see this sort of investment in this diverse and creative community. This school will be beneficial, from the level of education we will deliver through to the positive outcomes for the community.”

Supply Chain Management – foresight and knowledge to avoid delays

With two sites building effectively the same buildings at opposite ends of Adelaide, at the same time, strategic subcontractor selection, package breakdown and allocation was essential to ensure adequate resources were available to achieve program. Key subcontractors were awarded packages across both sites where efficiencies existed, for example services and structural framing trades.

Even though SA was relatively sheltered from the lock downs and larger effects of COVID until November 2021, throughout 2021 there were increasing supply chain constrictions, and additional requirements on site operational functions for hygiene, density and tracing requirements.

“Sarah’s processes and agility allowed us to embrace new ways of doing things with minimal impact on the delivery of the project. For the Education department, surety of delivery in a market stressed by constrictions and supply chain shortages, provided significant reassurance.”

Sarah approached the PPP as a delivery partner rather than just a builder. We place high value in the relationship we have with the State and Department for Education. The project team was committed to approaching the design and delivery of these schools with a best for project mentality. Educational outcomes were at the forefront of all design decisions and the overriding determinate during challenging design or delivery situations. We are proud of the facilities that have been delivered and with the relationships fostered during the project” said Mr Layley.

Following the success of these projects, Sarah Constructions has recently been awarded the build of Morialta Secondary College, A new public secondary school to cater for 1200 students from year 7 to 12.

To learn more about our capability or the SA Schools PPP project, contact us today.

Still photography by Sam Noonan.

Aldinga Payinthi College done footage by Scott Berwick Creative.

Angle Vale Riverbanks B-12 drone footage by Stray Creative.

Whyalla team MATES in Construction Fly the Flag event 2020

Health, News

MATES in Construction: Supporting Good Mental Health & Wellbeing

November 24, 2021 Sarah Leave a comment

Sarah Constructions is a notable organisation within the South Australian construction industry and as such, we’re absolutely committed to leading by example in delivering a safe and supportive work environment. Within this commitment, Sarah has aligned with MATES in Construction, to provide suicide prevention awareness and mental health education to our employees.

With restricted travel and the disruptive impacts of Covid-19, never has it ever been more important to be aware of how you and your mates are coping.

What is MATES in Construction?

MATES in Construction (MATES) is a suicide prevention and support program, operating in the Construction, Mining and Energy industry. The program reduces suicide by creating workplace communities of people who can look out for each other and offer help and support when needed. They believe suicide is everyone’s business and provide ways for the Australian construction and allied industries to take an active role in improving the mental health and wellbeing of workers.

Established in 2008, MATES was born in response to a major report on suicide (the ‘AISRAP Report’), which found that suicide rates in the industry were higher than the Australian average for men, and that youth suicide within the industry could be as much as 2.38 times more common than among other young Australian men.

Supporting the Wellbeing of Construction Industry Workers

Charles Totani, HR Business Partner at Sarah Constructions, says the program is of huge importance. “On average, 190 Australians working in the construction industry take their own lives each year. Work in the construction industry can be demanding and highly pressured, to ensure strict deadlines are met and service delivery is to a high standard. As such, it has become imperative to ensure consistent care for workers within the industry, to ensure everybody goes home safely to their families.”

CEO of MATES In Construction SA, Alan Suridge, advised what action needs to be taken. “Organisations need to actively show that positive mental health is a priority in the workplace. Adopting appropriate policies and practices is important, as is providing training and support for workers. Normalising conversations around mental health and wellbeing on a regular basis, such as at team meetings, toolbox talks, and in regular corporate communications, is an essential component.”

It’s no small task to normalise conversations around mental health, particularly in such a traditional male-dominated industry. It’s important therefore, says Alan, for leaders to step up. “To create open and supportive workplaces, leaders need to lead by example”. This means having open conversations about tough topics and putting up their hand for support when needed or offering help and support to others. Demonstrating there are no negative consequences for speaking up and seeking support is essential.”

Sarah Constructions office staff MATES in Construction Fly the Flag Day 2021

Supporting Mental Health at Sarah

“Sarah Constructions has been involved with MATES for many years and we are proud to be an industry partner,” commented Richard Hough, Construction Manager at Sarah. “Since 2014 Sarah has run multiple general awareness training sessions for our staff. Most staff, including site and project management personnel, elect to undertake the Connector training with MATES.”

“The MATES training sessions help to raise awareness of the mental health issues that individuals face and provides the necessary tools to enable our staff to notice the signs and, more importantly, assists them with how to open up a conversation with colleagues at work in regards to their feelings and emotions.”

As the old adage goes, a problem shared is a problem halved. Breaking down the barriers to conversation around mental health makes it easier and more likely for people to ask for help when they need it.

“The more awareness and conversations people can have around the topic, the easier it is to break down the stigma. In fact, I have personally benefited from the awareness training. I feel more prepared to engage and encourage conversations about people’s wellbeing in the workplace,” says Richard.

Educating the Next Generation of Construction Workers

MATES in Construction teamed up with Sarah to deliver part of the Cert II in Construction Vet Course for MBHS around General Mental Health Awareness Training.

“Education on Mental Health is vital,” says Charles, “MATES in Construction in instrumental in increasing awareness of Mental Health in our industry and it is important to us that students obtain a strong understanding of how important their work is in the construction. MATES provides the students with General Awareness Training, which outlines the problem of suicide in the industry and provides guidance to recognise the signs and signals of a person at risk, and how to help.”

When we consider that construction workers are six times more likely to die from suicide than an accident at work, we can start to appreciate the scale of the problem. Sarah Constructions believes as MATES does that “suicide is everyone’s business”.

“It’s very important to understand the numbers and how relevant mental health is within the construction industry,” says Charles. “The only way we can combat the problem is if we work together collectively, not just as individuals.”

To learn more about our training programs at Sarah Constructions, contact us today. Want to learn what you can do? Read through MATES’ How to Help a Mate information.

Aldinga Team MATES Fly the Flag event 2020

Education, News

The TESA Consortium: Successfully Navigating Unique $240 Million Education Project

September 2, 2021 Sarah Leave a comment

Sarah Constructions, as part of the TESA Consortium, was engaged by the South Australian Department for Education to deliver two new “birth to year 12” (B-12) schools in the Angle Vale and Aldinga regions of outer metropolitan Adelaide. The $240M SA Schools Public Private Partnership (PPP) is a complex project involving multiple teams and stakeholders.

The TESA Consortium comprises Sarah Constructions, Tetris Capital, DIF Capital Partners and ISS Services Australia. Sarah Constructions is the Design and Construct Contractor responsible for the delivery of the two schools.

The two new Schools, Riverbanks College B-12, Angle Vale and Aldinga Payinthi College, are part of a major program to establish best practice school infrastructure across South Australia, to enhance South Australia’s reputation as a destination for capital investment and contribute to the state’s economic growth.

Deb O’Riley, Director New Schools at Department for Education, said, “The new schools are part of the state government’s $1.4b investment into creating world-class education infrastructure across the state.”

“It’s great that we’ve been able to engage Sarah Constructions, a South Australian company, to help us build state-of-the-art facilities in our schools” said Ms O’Riley.

Each school is designed to accommodate 1,500 students, 100 special school students and a 75-place children’s centre (totalling 1,675 places), along with 211 teaching and support staff. The schools will be master-planned to accommodate a future capacity of up to 2084 students.

The schools include facilities for students, teachers, parents and the wider community. Each site will provide pre-school and long day care services, along with OSHC programs. Both schools will include performing arts theatres, libraries and entrepreneurial hubs, VET kitchen and on-site cafeteria, Primary and Secondary gym facilities, dual purpose soccer and hockey fields and full size AFL ovals.

To accommodate the new schools, there is also significant transport infrastructure upgrade works occurring in both regions, including the construction of new roads and intersections.

Sarah’s Project Director, Ben Layley, said that it’s been an exciting project for him, involving numerous moving parts and all at considerable scale. “It’s been rewarding to be involved since the Bid phase, acting as a conduit and facilitator between the different parties. We’ve been heavily involved in the design process upfront, then all the way through with ongoing communication to now, the final build stages.”

Two Sites, One Project

Communication and expert project management has been key to the success of this project. The requirement to deliver two consistent schools, at different ends of outer metropolitan Adelaide, both going live at the same time, was a major undertaking. The Sarah team was led by Project Director, Ben Layley with Paul Marino, Senior Project Manager on the Aldinga site and Luke Ferme, Senior Project Manager at the Angle Vale site.

“It’s been challenging to manage the consistencies across both sites. We have needed to create new systems and processes to manage this. Regular communication was key to achieving good outcomes,” said Luke.

Paul agreed, “Angle Vale and Aldinga are different project sites and needed to be managed as such but from a client level, they have the same delivery requirements. From windows to paint finishing, the level of detail across the two projects is something I hadn’t experienced before.

Sarah rose to this challenge and executed this well. We had a central design team that worked through the details across both projects to ensure consistent detail. From a site perspective, we have very stringent inspection and test plans implemented, to ensure design intent was achieved across both sites.”

Deb O’Riley said it’s been the “frequent and reliable communication” from Sarah that has allowed them to provide ongoing updates to multiple teams and stakeholders, ultimately facilitating the success of the builds.

Project Progress: From North To South

Both sites are now moving into the final project stages in readiness for handover prior to opening in 2022 for the new school year. At Aldinga, Paul explained that the buildings are currently in different stages of completion. “We’re coming into final commissioning and full fit-out for 5 of the buildings. Externally we’re starting to pour concrete, build garden beds, lay turf on the oval, bitchumise carparks and install canopy structures. This is a very active stage of the project with lots of different trades on site.”

At the Angle Vale site, they’re currently progressing through external works, including concreting play areas, putting finishing touches to buildings and taking delivery of furniture. “At times, we’ve had over 300 people on-site working. It’s positive seeing that many people work together – this project has provided a lot of opportunity for people in construction, which is especially rewarding in these challenging Covid times” said Luke.

Riverbanks College interior architecture

Delivering Education Outcomes And Community Benefits

Careful consideration for learning outcomes and wider community integration were included in the design and development of the two schools. “The contemporary design of these beautiful schools have been well planned with a big focus on indoor/outdoor connectivity” said Ms O’Riley.

Alison Colbeck, Principal Aldinga Payinthi College explained “this site has been built to provide a full opportunity for contemporary learning. We understood that the best learning environments are collaborative and not just within four walls, and that’s what has been designed and is now being built. Our pedagogical approach has been developed through use of space and has been informed by the build process.”

At both sites, the school builds include funding from Local Government to increase the size of onsite sporting facilities and provide the opportunity for ongoing community use. The schools have established Community Coalition groups, with Council and community representatives. “We’re working with this group to identify areas of need and opportunities to work with and support community groups. It’s a true partnership approach with mutually beneficial outcomes to really engage with the school site” said Ms Colbeck.

“I’m very excited and thrilled about the opportunity. To see this sort of investment in our community – this school will be incredibly beneficial; from the level of educational excellence we will deliver through to the broader, positive outcomes for the community. They haven’t just built a school, they’ve built a facility that’s for everyone” said Ms Colbeck.

A Step Forward For Sarah

As Project Director, Mr Layley is proud of how the Sarah team have worked together. “The way the whole business has rallied together to deliver two large projects, in terms of the sheer scale and at the same time, whilst also delivering other significant projects, including the $100M project at Whyalla, has been incredibly impressive. Across the board, Sarah has stepped up, to scale up.”

The success of the SA Schools PPP project symbolises another step forward for Sarah Constructions as a business. The ability to deliver larger value projects, while simultaneously managing other significant construction projects, signifies Sarah’s maturation and opens the door for more large scale, multi-site design and construct projects in the future.

To learn more about our capability or the SA Schools PPP project, contact us today.

Careers, Community, Education, News

On-The-Job Experience For Certificate II in Construction Students

July 13, 2021 Sarah Leave a comment

At Sarah Constructions, we’re serious about our role in training and developing South Australia’s future construction workers and leaders. Terry Kildea, Senior Project Manager, recently wrote about our Whyalla Student Immersion Program, which provides work experience to Year 10 and 11 students from Edward John Eyre High School.

Sarah is continuing our involvement in the SA Immersion Program, with Year 11/12 Aboriginal students at Murray Bridge High School (MBHS). The program includes a unique Live Works component, providing students invaluable on site work experience and opportunity to participate in practical work with Sarah subcontractors.

Live Works: Adding Hands-on Experience

Supported by the Department for Innovation and Skills and the Department for Education, Sarah Constructions developed Live Works as part of the Cert II in Construction delivered at MBHS by Carey Training. The unique Live Works aspect of the program evolved to provide Aboriginal students with on-the-job experience, as well as a sense of ownership over the works taking place at their school.

MBHS principal Ruth Mussger acknowledges the difference the live works component is making to the young adults involved. “To see the excitement and pride in their work, and hear them talk about career pathways in construction beyond school makes all the difference. This is a game changer for families and the community.”

Participating students can achieve SACE results whilst gaining industry accreditation for their work. In this way, Vocational Education and Training (VET) allows students to experience the world of work in a range of occupations whilst still at school.

Charles Totani, Human Resources Business Partner at Sarah Constructions, believes programs like this are the best way to boost traineeships and apprenticeships in SA. “We see this as investing back into an industry that currently has a very big skills shortage. This program provides the students with exposure to the construction industry, and an opportunity to appreciate it’s broad range of rewarding career paths, which will in turn, strengthen the industry.”

“Live Works provides actual and practical experience, helping to shape students’ career decisions while also providing potential job opportunities. The direct work with subcontractors helps them build relationships and connects them with potential employers.”

Project Manager, Nik Panagaris, agrees that the program gives students a valuable step up into their careers. “It’s a great mechanism that assists with the transition post-schooling. Students gain their first aid certificate and white cards while they’re still studying, which gives them an advantage once they actually finish school.”

The Cert II in Construction involves a mix of both construction theory and practical. To support the practical aspect, Sarah delineated an area and exclusion zone adjacent the main MBHS construction site separating an existing shed structure from the main site; enabling the students to safely participate in the practical live works project. Students were also provided with a safety pack and project induction, covering essential safety processes to educate them in the required conditions prior to commencing the works on site.

Engaging with the Aboriginal Community

Aboriginal students were identified by MBHS for the program, to support their education journey. Local civil subcontractors were selected to be involved for their ability to provide long term, future opportunities for the students.

Sarah Constructions received commitment from over 7 subcontractors, who expressed interest in being involved with the program. These subcontractors have the potential to provide apprenticeship and traineeship opportunities for students upon completion of their Cert II qualification.

The Live Works component has played a key role in the success of the Cert II in Construction Program at MBHS. Though not part of his usual project management activities, Nik Panagaris has seen first-hand how well students are responding to the program. “It has been incredibly rewarding to pass on knowledge and experience to the students. It’s great to see them keen to learn and eager to be involved”.

“Hopefully, we can see the students grow even further in the future via a traineeship or apprenticeship with a subcontractor.”

Facilitating more Pathways into Construction

As a business Sarah proactively supports the many pathways into the construction industry. Craig Webber, Construction Trainer/Assessor at Carey Training, who is facilitating the training at MBHS, has been involved with the Cert II in Construction for 10 years. Craig sees Live Works as the next logical step to enhance the program.

“It helps students put actual context to what they’re learning. The theory makes sense to them once it’s put into practice. Plus, across the program the students get 9 days on site; it’s almost like a 9 day interview and a real opportunity for both contractor and student to get to know each other.”

“With VET programs like this, students can move into earning income sooner, which is really important for so many South Australians and their families. It’s about connecting willing individuals of any age and background, to job opportunities.”

The Live Works program provides MBHS students the chance to have in-depth, on-the-job experience, while setting a precedent and creating a useful framework for the industry. Sarah Constructions has invested significant time and money in making this program successful because we believe increasing programs like this throughout South Australia is critical to the ongoing success of construction in our state.

This program aligns with Sarah’s approach to strengthen the industry by highlighting the various employment opportunities available for the workers of tomorrow.

To find out more about the Murray Bridge High School project, or a career at Sarah Constructions, contact the team today.

News, Safety

Safety in Construction: Developing & Maintaining A Positive Safety Culture

June 2, 2021 Sarah Leave a comment

By Dena English, QHSE Manager

At Sarah Constructions, safety is a core component of successfully delivering projects – and it’s become a passion of mine.

As QHSE Manager, ensuring the safety of everyone who works at or with Sarah Constructions is my job but I’m not alone in taking responsibility for these outcomes. Sarah Constructions’ approach to safety comes from the top-down. It permeates from our directors and senior management through all levels of the business.

What is Sarah’s approach to safety in construction?

Here at Sarah, our safety motto is, “think about it, talk about it, care about it” and talking about it is central to the positive safety culture we’ve cultivated.

We are an open, communicative business. Collaboration is one of our core business values and where safety is concerned, it couldn’t be more important. We engage and communicate with stakeholders, sharing knowledge and expertise to ensure a safer workplace. We always report transparently to stakeholders and authorities. We encourage all workers to ask for advice when they’re unsure, to report all issues and make sure we’re learning and improving all the time.

Developing a procedure and blindly following it is not how we work. We are continually improving our safety practices with innovative thinking. For example, we use state-of-the-art electronic systems designed to get personnel out of the office and on to site safely. We have also started collaborating with universities for safety research purposes. This is an exciting new area for us and I look forward to the results derived from these partnerships.

Focus on education and putting people first

We also began the Sarah Trainee Safety Officer program in 2020. This was a new initiative to offer a structured pathway for individuals who are seeking to build a career in safety. It is often difficult to find an entry level position within safety, but our program gives participants that all-important foot in the door.

Trainees learn the fundamentals of site safety management over the course of 12 months while working with a Safety Officer mentor on a construction project. The program has been hugely successful, with both 2020 trainees being promoted to Safety Officers in 2021. We currently have 4 trainees who began the program in 2021.

Our commitment to safety aligns with our commitment to people. Safety is all about people, and our people-first approach means it’s therefore a part of everything we do. It’s part of every training program; from Cadets and Graduates to Trainee Supervisors and Trainee Safety Officers. It’s an agenda item at all meetings.

We can’t escape the systems and paperwork that are an inherent part of safety management, but it’s our people that make sure we are safe. It’s our people’s approach to safety that drives our positive safety culture and ensures it’s not just a ‘tick and flick’ exercise.

Ensuring safety is a passion, not a chore

“Without passion safety can be compromised. Passion is observing the system working. Passion is helping and observing peers grow in their profession.”
Jeremy Elvin (QHSE Advisor)

Like a lot of people I know, I fell into working in safety. It’s not something I saw myself doing but I genuinely love it. I get huge job satisfaction through helping others, educating and solving problems. Our passion for keeping our workers safe makes Sarah a business a leader in this space.

What underpins this passion is the belief that all workplace injuries and incidents can be prevented. So everything we do is designed to eliminate or minimise risks to health and safety—and of course we have the certifications to support this approach. Sarah has a comprehensive Work Health and Safety Management System (WHSMS) certified to ISO 45001:2018 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems, and accredited under the Federal Safety (OFSC) Accreditation Scheme.

To find out more about Work Health & Safety at Sarah Constructions, contact the team today.

Whyalla-Secondary-College-work-experience-students

Awards, Careers, Community, Education, News

Tomorrow’s Trades & Construction Industry Professionals – Providing Work Experience and Recognition

May 14, 2021 Sarah Leave a comment

By Terry Kildea, Senior Project Manager

In a time of global uncertainty, the construction industry continues to provide critical jobs and supporting the state’s growth. Last month’s Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows that the construction industry in South Australia is the best performing in the country and that we are the only state or territory with more people employed now than before the pandemic, up 0.9 per cent.

Here at Sarah, we take pride in playing our part in the South Australian economy, not only now but well into the future – by fuelling our state with a skilled construction workforce. Across the state, Sarah’s currently employ approximately 1250 tradesmen per day.

To implement tangible actions to support this, Sarah Constructions are continuously looking at skills development programs. On the Whyalla Secondary College project two initiatives were implemented: a work experience program for local students and an apprentice recognition award.

Whyalla Secondary College Update

Construction of the new $100 million state-of-the-art secondary school in Whyalla is underway to accommodate 1500 students in years 7 to 12. The new school will combine three existing government high schools in the region.

Key features of the school include contemporary STEM focused learning spaces, multi-level outdoor learning and social spaces, a landscaped plaza at ground level, double court gymnasium, expansive sporting fields, courts and a performing arts theatre all of which present the opportunity to be utilised by the community out of school operating hours.

The Whyalla Secondary College project is currently transitioning from the heavy structural stage, with the last major structural item being the community courtyard sawtooth roof nearing completion. The focus from here will be in the internal fitout stage which is in varying levels of completion across the 11 floors within the 5 major buildings. The most advanced floors are currently having carpet and ceiling tiles installed in readiness to commence commissioning, while the least advanced floors are in the partition framing and first fix services stages.

The southern half of the site, which contains the sporting ovals, are in the final stages of preparation to commence turf installation in the near future.

Whyalla Secondary School work experience students on site

Whyalla Student Immersion Program

The work experience program came about as a result of a number of ‘Pathways to Construction’ talks delivered to the Year 10 and 11 students from Edward John Eyre High School (EJEHS). The presentation covered the different roles and pathways into the construction industry, as well as desirable personality traits and skills.

The students were then given a brief on the design of the new Whyalla Secondary College building and a tour around the site. Following that, Year 12 students taking part in the school’s ACEE Year Program (Automotive, Construction, Electrotechnology, and Engineering) undertook work experience one day a week over 9 weeks.

The program provided students with real world experience as they rotated weekly through various trades on site, including Electrical, Hydraulics, Mechanical, Roof & Cladding and Ceilings & Partitions.

The final component of the program, yet to be completed, will see approximately twenty Year 11 ACEE students undertaking a project based learning assignment in Term 2.

Whyalla Apprentice Skills Recognition Award

To recognise, support and reward those already working in the construction industry, an apprentice recognition award was also developed on site. Apprentice nominations and feedback was provided by the Sarah Constructions project team as well as the leading hand from each trade on site.

The criteria for the award included:

Onsite performance and workmanship
Attitude and collaboration with colleagues
WHS and compliance

With generous contributions of prizes from Hilti, the Apprentice Skills Award presentation was a great success. The event brought site personnel together to celebrate the four winners and finished 2020, which was a stressful year for many, in a positive and meaningful way.

Whyalla Secondary School Apprentice Awards 2021

Supporting Future Construction

Both of the development programs delivered successful outcomes. Feedback from both the students and teachers from EJEHS was extremely positive.

Thanks goes to our subcontractors who mentored the students on site, creating a positive learning environment for them. These early interactions and experiences could be the beginnings of long-lasting, fulfilling careers in construction.

It’s also been a fantastic opportunity to develop leadership skills within the Sarah team. The work experience program, for example, was largely driven by our youngest team member Adrian Condello, who was a Sarah graduate at the time.

One of the many benefits of undertaking large scale social infrastructure projects is its ability to bring together stakeholders, whether that be community, lead agency, end users, private or public institutions etc. As a result, the opportunities to undertake these activities, which would largely be seen as extra-curricular to the traditional building process, become readily available. It is a part of this project that I’ve particularly enjoyed, and should Sarah Constructions be presented with the same opportunity in the future it would be exciting to take the underlying ideas developed at Whyalla along with the lessons learnt and expand on them further.

We would like to thank the following subcontractors for their invaluable contribution throughout these programs:
Jordan Plumbing
Westside Mechanical
Sturdie Electrical
SA Construct
Exclusive Commercial Linings

Education, Innovation, News

Sarah Solar Initiative: Saving 10 Tonnes of Co2 Per Year

March 24, 2021 Sarah Leave a comment

At Sarah Constructions, we continually look to make positive progress. Innovation is at the heart of our business. That’s why our staff have access to a range of in-house development programs, which encourage outside-the-box thinking and the trial of new business initiatives. It was through one of these programs that Project Manager, Melisha Willington, developed the concept for a site solar energy pod to improve sustainability on construction sites.

She said, “It’s a cliché but the driver was to make a difference, even in a small way to help the environment. The construction industry still has so much potential when it comes to sustainable initiatives and innovation and I know Sarah Constructions have more in store.”

What is the Solar Energy Pod?

Shipping containers are common on building sites and provide the ideal base for mounting solar panels – key reasons why Melisha’s idea was feasible. The dismantled frames and solar panels can be packed away inside the container on custom racks, enabling relocation to the next site. Once assembled, the free space within the container can be used as additional secure site storage or as a site office space.

The shipping container also provides opportunities for environmental awareness and the use of solar energy. At the Whyalla Secondary College construction site, where the first solar shipping container has been located, this translates to reaching large numbers of the local community and visitors to Whyalla, numerous subcontractors and stakeholders.

Bringing the idea to life

Sarah partnered with another South Australian owned company, NRG Solar, to bring the idea to life. Melisha said, “NRG were professional, passionate and couldn’t do more in sharing their knowledge and experience. NRG really understood the brief and were instrumental in delivering a fit for purpose solution.”

“What excited me about this project,” said Eddy May, NRG Solar Managing Director, “was working with an innovative company who are putting sustainability at the forefront of their projects. It’s a lofty but rewarding goal to want to build in a carbon neutral way. A big first step in achieving this goal is delivering a portable solution to allow the Sarah Constructions team to be self-sufficient for their energy needs. We have thoroughly enjoyed the collaborative process and we look forward to continuing this partnership with Sarah Constructions to create sustainable solutions together.”

It was late in 2020 that Sarah Constructions invested in implementing the idea. Melisha worked with NRG Solar to transform the initial concept design into a final engineered product, which involved the creation of an engineered tripod mounting system for the solar panels on the exterior of a 40ft shipping container. The design is engineered for wind region A terrain Category 1, meaning it can go almost anywhere in South Australia and withstand all weather conditions. It’s suitable for 1, 2 and 3 phase power connections.

The first operational solar shipping container located on-site in Whyalla has an 11.88kW system and is providing power to help run the large site office of the $100M school project.

There are 36No photovoltaic (PV) solar panels with 60m2 of surface area over two separate frames; one on the roof and one on the side of the container. Two inverters are installed within the container to convert the solar power generated into standard AC power.

Melisha is proud that her idea has been backed by the business and brought to fruition. “To have your idea supported in such a big way and see the finished product out on site is very encouraging,” she said.

The benefits of Sarah’s Solar Energy Pod?

The Sarah Solar Energy Pod will generate 16 megawatt hours of power per year or around $5K of savings per annum in power costs.

As for benefits to the environment, the container will save 10 tonnes of Co2 per year. This is equivalent to planting 150 trees.

An online/app dashboard is provided, displaying real time solar power production each day, along with other key statistics. On bright sunny days, the solar panels, which were largely paid for by government solar rebates, are in use up to 90% and more of their capacity. There is also scope to add solar battery storage.

The local high school students in Whyalla have been provided with a practical learning opportunity to visit the site, where Sarah team members explain how the solar container project works and its sustainability benefits, educating the community and inspiring the next generation of sustainability advocates.

“The students have had the opportunity to gain real world experience on an important community project that is relevant to their life and future,” said Andrew McLean, Design & Technology Teacher at Edward John Eyre High School. “The students’ learning at school becomes relevant through the observation of skills and knowledge in action on site”.

Here at Sarah, we’re all extremely proud of Melisha and everyone involved in the collaboration. “This project marks the start of our focussed sustainability journey,” said Terry Tsapaliaris, Sarah’s Operations Manager. “We will utilise our graduates to monitor energy use and continue to develop the technology whilst reviewing other sources of sustainable technology.”

You can read NRG Solar’s article on the project here.

To find out more about this project, Sarah’s sustainability or any of our other development initiatives, contact us today.

Aldinga Beach Primary School modular build

Innovation, News

Modular Construction: Delivering Clients Flexibility & Value

March 12, 2021 Sarah Leave a comment

By Terry Tsapaliaris, Operations Manager

Conversation in the construction industry about modular construction is increasing with the delivery method gaining traction in South Australia. At Sarah Constructions, to ensure we continue to offer the best solutions to our customers, we regularly research innovations in our industry – and that includes modular.

The Sarah approach to modular construction has not been developed as a service that we are introducing to market; instead, we’ve listened to what the market’s asking for and have expanded our modular solutions in response. Our expansion of modular construction capabilities aims to “transform delivery options for our clients.”

3 types of modular construction

There are three main methods of delivering a modular project – volumetric, nodal and panelised. Volumetric is the most common type of modular construction traditionally seen in South Australia. Nodal construction incorporates common connection points, a bit like Lego. A panelised solution is basically construction using prefabricated flooring, walls and roofing. It essentially resembles a flat-pack.

The system we’ve adopted for our first round of modular projects is panelised construction. Through a cost comparison, we identified that a panelised approach, where we prefabricate off-site and then assemble on-site, was the most cost-effective solution for our customer.

“We’re not just selling one particular way of delivering. We want to give our customers ultimate flexibility. You come to us with your problem, and we’ll provide the solution. And that may mean a combination of different deliver processes including traditional or modular, or a combination of both.”

5 benefits of modular construction

At Sarah, modular isn’t a product, it’s an approach. We have adopted this approach to provide a range of benefits to our clients, the top 5 include:

Less time on site
This is the most obvious benefit. Prefabrication off-site means less time on-site, which is a huge bonus for clients and the main reason we looked into modular solutions.

Greater control over program
Constructing undercover, in a warehouse, means you have more control over your program and eliminate traditional threats to program like weather delays.

Better quality
You have greater quality because you’re able to inspect the finished product off-site before it leaves the factory.

Value for money
Less time on-site enables cost efficiencies.

Greater control over resources
Modular construction also gives you greater control over resources and material selections. For example, currently we have a timber shortage across the world, so we have opted for a modular steel solution instead.

The Sarah Solution Centre

To accommodate our expansion into modular construction, we have procured a larger warehouse space. The exciting inclusion that we’re adding into this space is the development of an interactive training facility; with the culmination of these elements we have created the Sarah Solution Centre.

A centrepiece for this training facility is the development of interactive building displays that detail high defect risk or highly technical elements. Our graduates and trainee supervisors will use these for hands-on learning. The inclusion of QR codes will link to training videos, to guide a step-by-step process to reduce and ideally in the long term, remove these issues or defects.

The interactive displays will be used to not only train our own staff, but also to collaborate with consultants and subcontractors to share industry knowledge and learnings. This initiative is driven by Sarah’s commitment to provide best-practice solutions by minimising future defects.

Virtual reality and physical prototyping

Complementing both our traditional and modular construction work is the increase of smart prototyping, which is also delivered from the Sarah Solution Centre. Our prototyping process increasingly involves a Virtual Reality (VR) render of construction projects. Using a VR headset, clients can virtually walk through their site and get a sense of what the finished version will look like.

This is extremely valuable to the smooth delivery of commercial construction projects as it provides clients the opportunity for very early interaction and feedback. Even before the physical prototype is built, clients can get a strong sense on placement of furniture, lights, how doors operate, how users will interact etc.

Building physical prototypes is common industry practice, particularly with repetitive work like apartment buildings and aged care facilities. Traditionally this involves the fast-track of one room for the client to view. However with the inclusion of VR render prototypes, we’re able to provide a virtual prototype much earlier; before ordering materials and so forth. This allows stakeholders’ early engagement and feedback, minimises delays and supports a streamlined process for final sign off.

To find out more about Sarah Constructions’ modular solutions, VR prototypes, or to discuss your next project, email Sarah Constructions today.

Aged Care, Health, News, Residential

ECH Topping Out: New Vibrant, Vertical Retirement Village in the heart of Modbury

November 4, 2020 Sarah Leave a comment

As a South Australian, family-owned business, Sarah Constructions has a strong desire to support people of all ages in the state. With a business culture that puts people first, Sarah was honoured to be selected as the Design & Construct Contractor for a one-of-a-kind, progressive retirement village community being built on Smart Road in Modbury.

As one of the largest not-for-profit providers of integrated retirement living accommodation and ageing care services in SA, ECH (Enabling Confidence at Home) enables people to remain living confidently and independently at home as they age.

Tackling loneliness and social isolation is a major factor in enabling confidence and helping people remain connected to their communities. With the recent topping out of the unique ECH Smart Road Development – Encore Apartments – which features an SA Montessori Early Learning Centre (ELC), Sarah Constructions are excited to help deliver a new retirement village that has been designed to support and create a connected community.

Supporting human connection in retirement living

ECH Chief Executive Dr David Panter says the Encore Apartments ‘vertical village’ will provide “apartment-style living whilst also fostering an important sense of community and social connections to enable people to have the best possible life as they age.”

Encore Apartments, featuring 77 2-bedroom apartments, has been designed to bring the traditional retirement living village atmosphere, with its strong focus on ‘neighbourliness’, to vertical living by creating spaces that encourage interaction. Residents will experience ‘a real sense of belonging’ through access to shared community gardens, an on-site café, community centre and wellness facilities.

Sarah Constructions Senior Project Manager, Robert Maiolo, explains the purpose behind this unique project.

“In building these apartments, ECH is looking to bring people together from across the community. They want the residents to have the ability to easily connect.”

Connection is the antidote to loneliness and a range of other health problems. This philosophy permeates throughout the site design. From the community gardens enabling residents to interact in an outdoor setting to the shared internal recreation spaces, community café and even apartment entrances, working with the design team, Sarah Constructions will deliver integrated capability for human connection across the development.

A unique, connected, intergenerational community

Encore Apartments is one of Australia’s first retirement villages to incorporate an SA Montessori Early Learning Centre. The partnership between ECH and SA Montessori integrates an ELC into the $44.2M, Smart Road development.

The interaction between Encore Apartments residents and the ELC will create a one-of-a-kind, community-centred independent living experience, providing opportunities for intergenerational activities in the community centre. Residents will be able to participate as little or as much as they choose.

“The community centre features an activity space, community hall, library, lounge and meeting room which will provide many opportunities to engage with the SA Montessori and broader community,” says Dr David Panter.

“It is not just retirement living but community living.”

The Sarah design team worked closely with ECH to meet their Liveable Housing Design Gold Standard, considerable attention has been given by the team to ensure the construction outcome is a harmonious balance of functionality, in terms of accessibility, safety and handrails etc, combined with the overall vision for homeliness, comfort and community.

“Our effort has been to make sure that the finished space is fully compliant with the Gold Standard while catering for ECH residents. The team is committed to understanding and then delivering on the constructability of these standards, making sure that we communicate not only across our team but also to the sub-contractors,” says Robert Maiolo.

Aligning values to create ideal construction outcomes

Believing that best practice construction management is about building relationships, one of Sarah’s core values is to put people first. ECH does the same. “People have always been the main focus, not only in regard to the buildings end-use but also in its delivery,” says Robert Maiolo.

This alignment of values between ECH and Sarah Constructions has seen the team collaborate extremely well on all aspects of the project. An alignment of values, experience and approach are responsible for its successful progression to top out stage, despite obvious COVID-19 challenges.

“We have proven experience for the type, size and nature of this project, combined with an excellent understanding of both the client requirements and end-user priorities. Our team is excited to work collaboratively with ECH and the wider project team to deliver positive outcomes for this project,” commented Adrian Esplin, Sarah Constructions CEO.

From the client’s perspective, Sarah’s collaborative approach has been extremely valuable. “Sarah Constructions was able to provide independent industry advice to assist the consultant team to improve design solutions whilst maintaining project integrity and fulfilling ECH goals,” said ECH Chief Operating Officer, Dorothy Nycz.

“Sarah Constructions was chosen for this project not only due to their recent experience and success on similar retirement living projects but also by practicing every day their promise to build relationships and communities.”

For a sneak peek inside Encore Apartments, you can book an appointment to visit the display suite recently completed by the Sarah team at the ECH Greenhill Rd office. It provides an example of a finished unit with kitchen, bathroom and living area. More information is available at the ECH website, whilst you can find the latest ECH timelapse from October here.

Careers, News

People At The Centre Of Sustainable Growth

July 2, 2020 Sarah Leave a comment

Over the past five decades, Sarah has maintained deliberate and strategic growth. This growth has been built on the foundation that if a business is made up of skilled, well-developed people, it will foster a well-developed and sustainable business. A business with longevity. With the right people and the right core structures in place, Sarah continues to deliver excellence for its clients.

From delivering the $52 Million Carmelite Aged Care Facility and $80 Million Minda Masterplan Development in 2018 to most recently successfully securing the $230 Million South Australian Schools PPP project; over recent years, Sarah has taken deliberate and strategic steps to increase its capability in the size and complexity of the projects it delivers.

Building a framework for developing the best people

For Adrian Esplin, winning the PPP job is the outcome of four years of foundational work. “We’ve created a structure at Sarah that can support, mentor, empower and develop the right people. For a business that has around 170 on the ground staff, you need the structures in place to organise resources in the right way, that will not only train them but also help sustain them” Adrian explains.

“One of the key strategies for me over the past three to four years has been bolstering our senior management strength. Since I initially started at Sarah, we now have a much more robust and sustainable senior management structure” says Adrian.

Attracting and retaining future talent

Alongside the improved management structure, Sarah has also successfully implemented Graduate, Site Supervisor and Safety Officer Training Programs.

Adrian takes a big picture approach to developing a Graduate Program at Sarah. “For me it’s about sustaining the industry. We need to take more of an establishment view, a view of the greater good; we can’t always be picking off the tree. Sometimes you’ve got to fertilise it, water it and grow it for the greater good of the industry. Developing graduates regardless of if they will stay at Sarah, will always reward the industry as a whole, like nurturing plants because you end up with more fruit,” explains Adrian.

With the success of the Graduate Program, the Site Supervisor Program was then developed. “The new program has been a resounding success,” says Adrian. “Participants include a range of people from different backgrounds, typically from a trade background but wanting to do something different. They’ve been in the industry but not as a building foreperson or supervisor. So at the end of 18 months in the program, many have benefited from significant professional development and are now working as Site Supervisors.”

There’s also no shortage of replacement participants in Sarah programs either. HR Manager, Stefan Popovic, explains:

“We know people love working at Sarah, because we get so many referrals from our staff. We don’t need to run an internal referral program; people just really enjoy the culture and opportunities we provide. Our strong referral network coupled with our increasing reputation as an employer of choice in the industry, means that we are constantly meeting with capable and talented individuals, looking to get involved.”

“This provides us with a unique opportunity to blend career progression and development with the onboarding of new talent into the business, the outcome of which is more jobs for South Australians. A great outcome for all,” explains Stefan.

Future Focused Career Fulfilment

Ongoing learning and development is high on Sarah’s agenda, says Stefan. “We run graduate, trainee supervisor and trainee safety officer programs for those looking at getting into the construction industry. We also run a professional development series and training calendar for existing staff, aimed at knowledge sharing and addressing common areas of interest.”

“Wherever possible, we look at ways for our senior employees to pass on their knowledge to those just starting out in their careers.” The unique Sarah Constructions culture is at the heart of this supportive and collaborative learning environment.

“Our culture is our source of competitive advantage,” says Stefan. “It’s underpinned by our values and our belief that relationships are key to a successful construction business. We make sure that all new employees share in this belief before they join us and we continue to embed these values throughout the employment lifecycle. It starts with the way we treat each other, our clients and our contractors. This begins at the top and is championed at all levels of the organisation.”

Sarah’s Management team is committed to the ongoing development of Sarah’s people and, in turn, the strategic sustainability of the business. Adrian Esplin explains, “that’s one of the biggest drivers for me. I’m motivated by thinking, what do I need to be putting in place now so that in three years, our people can be having as much professional development and career fulfilment as they are now?”

If you’re looking to take that next step in your career, contact the Sarah HR team today at hr@sarah.com.au.

Sports-courts-the-lights-community-centre

News, Recreation

Construction Collaboration Brings The Lights To The Community

October 30, 2019 Sarah Leave a comment

By Rob Maiolo – Project Manager

In my role as a Project Manager for Sarah Constructions, I manage multiple priorities, people and timeframes. Within this role, I get to work side by side with specialists across a multitude of fields, as we collaborate to deliver exceptional outcomes for our clients. Delivering the Lightsview Indoor Recreation Hub ‘The Lights’ for the City of Port Adelaide Enfield Council is a good example of how bringing a team of experts together achieves impressive results. The $21.7 million project comprised 2 stadiums, 5 court areas with retractable seating, function spaces, community room, storage and viewing areas.

Collaboration is in our DNA at Sarah, it’s part of the Sarah way. Our team takes great pride in working through a project from design to delivery with input from multiple stakeholders, including the client as well as architects, engineers, suppliers, contractors and consultants.

The successful construction of The Lights façade, was a great example of teamwork between multiple different organisations, managed by Sarah, to deliver a statement finish to this sporting facility and achieve the client’s vision.

External cladding to deliver The Lights

As a community recreation hub, The Lights project was built to deliver a vibrant and inclusive place where all people, from a diverse community could interact, participate and engage.

As part of this community focus, the centre was to be branded as ‘The Lights’ Community and Sports Centre. It needed a facade that reflected the City of Port Adelaide Enfield’s project vision, and something that connected with the modern, up-and-coming area of Lightsview.

Architects, Studio Nine, conceptualised an intricate, multicoloured facade of ASKIN Performance Panels with 13 different colour selections, to provide a tangible representation for the lights of Lightsview.

As a leading insulated, fire rated, architectural panel system in Australia, the ASKIN product provided not only the visual impact the design required to bring the vision of ‘The Lights’ to life, but also met the robust safety performance requirements for the project.

Teamwork (and a prototype) to make the dream work

The Sarah project team collaborated with both Studio Nine and ASKIN to conduct a detailed review of the design details and method of installation to confirm the facade not only provided a vibrant point of difference, but was also compliant and watertight.

To ensure quality delivery, Cladding & Roofing Contractors were awarded the contract to undertake installation works. With previous experience and as the approved installer for the ASKIN product, combined with the ability to resource the project appropriately, their expertise provided a valuable asset to the installation.

To ensure the ASKIN cladding was robust and watertight, our team constructed a prototype, comprising of 8 cladding panels. The prototype was 30m2 in area, 2 panels wide (7.5m) and 4 panels high (4m). The panel arrangement was reviewed giving particular attention to junction details at the base of the wall, horizontal and vertical joints, fixings, sealants, sundry flashings and trims.

Together with Studio Nine, our team reviewed the shop drawings and samples, then developed a prototype to provide a robust quality assessment of the final outcome, before installing across the entire building. The ASKIN facade solution comprised multiple different panels and joints. Establishing the prototype and review by all parties, including the material supplier, installer, our team, the architect and client, was essential to ensuring the final installation satisfied the design and watertight performance requirements.

Installing the panels in the exact and precise layout as designed was vital to achieve the visual impact of the facade. As multiple panels in different shades were specified, the location of each colour was vital, in order to achieve the design intent. As head contractor, we worked closely with the architects and the installing contractors to ensure each panel was exactly where it was supposed to be. A sign off sheet was developed and utilised by the project to verify colour and location of each panel as part of the project teams quality control during completion of the facades.

Rounding off the team effort required for the facade installation, was the involvement from ASKIN themselves. Representatives from ASKIN travelled from NSW to review the finished prototype and then again during installation, to provide ongoing support given their valuable product expertise.

Eye-catching end result

The successful project delivery of The Lights is modern and eye-catching; a talking point that reflects the city’s commitment to supporting community wellbeing.

The theme of “the lights” was successfully represented throughout the build, from the facade to the artistic murals and café splashbacks. The development successfully delivers on the Councils desire to create a place for the surrounding community to gather and lead their active and healthy lifestyles.

This impressive result was achieved through the collaboration lead by Sarah Constructions, working closely with all project stakeholders, to create a unique community focal point that’s as functional as it is inspiring.

Education

Education Construction: Delivering On the Cultural Philosophy of Pembroke Middle School

July 29, 2019 Sarah Leave a comment

– With Paul Marino, Senior Project Manager

The delivery of the Pembroke Middle School Redevelopment was achieved through a truly collaborative design and construction approach. This education construction project involved a dynamic and engaging redevelopment; architecturally, it pushes the envelope, with its geometric styling and 15 metre high concrete ‘shard’ feature facade.

As Managing Contractors on a project with such unique architectural features, Sarah Constructions implemented a progressive and innovative approach to construction, with thorough and detailed pre-construction reviews. “I believe it’s Sarah’s core value of a solutions focused approach and our positive problem solving strategies that helped bring this vision to life” said Paul Marino, Senior Project Manager.

Grieve Gillett Andersen (GGA) successfully infused Pembroke School’s learning and cultural outcomes into the architectural design, with the school’s philosophy reflected in both the functional layout and the bespoke details of the project.

“Through an incredibly collaborative process from the outset, and with the integration of highly skilled and motivated subcontractors, we succeeded in constructing a building that delivers on the schools progressive vision. In terms of the construction process, this was one of the most innovative projects I have worked on,” said Marino.

Visualising Cultural Aspirations

In 2017, GGA developed a whole-of-school Masterplan to visualise a long-term strategic direction for Pembroke School. When the opportunity arose to purchase the adjacent Shipsters Road property, the Middle School Redevelopment brief was considered within the context of the School Masterplan and overall vision for the school.

Dimitty Andersen, the project architect, said that, “As the project brief developed, it became clear that the organisation and architectural expression of the project would need to take up the challenge of the contemporary integrated learning aspirations.”

These culture and learning aspirations were based around a dynamic learning community, which encourages in its students: self-management, curiosity, intellectual rigour, enjoyment, innovation and the exploration of each individual’s potential.

“Consequently, the design team embraced the opportunity to design a facility that celebrated design innovation,” said Andersen. “We worked to create flexible and interconnected indoor and outdoor areas for learning across three levels of the building.” The stimulating colours and out of the ordinary finishes were designed to support students’ individuality, creativity, innovative thinking and entrepreneurial spirit.

“The architectural shapes of the Middle School building are irregular and most items within the building itself are non-standard,” said Andersen. “So when it came to drawing and detailing the building for construction, it had a high degree of complexity. Even with gravity defying concrete, webs of steel and triangulated windows, the Sarah team managed to deliver the construction detailing we hoped for and worked collaboratively with the school and GGA to manage costs, time and quality execution.”

Bringing The Vision To Life

The Pembroke Middle School Redevelopment’s location on an unusual triangulated piece of land inspired some interesting architectural theming, which required high level, collaborative planning to construct within the physical site parameters.

“At Sarah it’s part of our job to make dreams or visions a reality, in the most time and cost-efficient way, and to also deliver the best outcome for the end user,” said Marino. “This requires understanding what the client and/or architect is trying to achieve and then making sure this can happen within a constructibility and affordability context.”

In this instance, the Sarah team provided expert constructibility advice in relation to how and why to build things in a certain way, providing cost efficiencies based on the team’s technical knowledge and experience to streamline the transition from design to construction.

Sarah also involved specialist subcontractors to add value to the design and ensure all features and requirements were met, as efficiently as possible while achieving the required high level of detail and quality. An example of this was the complex joinery package throughout the atrium and learning spaces. A difficult part of the central atrium was the balustrade design. The Sarah team needed to problem solve how to integrate the balustraded into the concrete slab to meet structural integrity and safety, and at the same time, meet the brief in terms of aesthetics and visual impact.

“At the end of the day, we make it happen. We’re problem-solvers; it’s what we do,” said Marino.

“It was important to the client that the design helped support their educational values and foster a positive learning environment. So our job was to ensure that the design intent was achievable. We spent a lot of time during the tender phase suggesting alternative products and construction solutions, which delivered a range of cost savings upfront. This meant the client was able to achieve things they weren’t expecting to.”

One of the most striking construction elements of the Pembroke Middle School Redevelopment is the concrete shard, which provides earthquake restraint to the majority of the building as well as an architectural feature to the façade. Standing at 15m high with vertical raking angled walls, it was a challenging element of the structure to complete.

A collaborative approach with the architect, consultants and subcontractors during the design phase ensured construction of the shard, to the required detail and quality standards, was achieved. As the shard was a unique element to any project within South Australia, subcontractors were selected based on their skill with optimum vigilance. Sarah worked closely with Liftform and LA Concrete, going to great lengths to cut and perfectly position the sections of formwork, with high precision and accuracy, to achieve an exceptional finish. A detailed sampling and quality assurance plan was implemented which enabled us to set a bench mark on the required finished product. This care and attention to detail lead GGA to leave much more of the concrete shard exposed internally, in appreciation of the raw material and skill in creating the structure.

Attention to detail, refined methodologies and a positive attitude ensured the successful delivery of this landmark feature, which will attract interest from both the school community and the general public.

A major aspect of the theme of connectedness can be seen in the wide pedestrian bridge installed over Shipsters Road, which provides safe pedestrian access for staff and students at First Floor level between the new Middle school and the existing campus.

The prefabricated bridge design and construction required a hands on approach, from 3D design and structural modelling, to costing, building logistics and expert fabrication. This is an exceptional example of teamwork delivering results, as it was the collective input from GGA, CPR Engineers, Specialised Solutions and the Sarah team that enabled us to bring this together.

A Landmark And Legacy

A very challenging project, it was also incredibly rewarding. “This project stands out, as it was one that pushed everyone involved to think outside the square” (including the Year 6 students!) said Marino.

“Being able to execute quality solutions in response to such interesting challenges has made the Pembroke Middle School Redevelopment particularly rewarding for me. I’m not alone in thinking this; our subcontractors were extremely inspired to be involved with such unique construction. I take pride in the fact that I was able to bring this talented team together and deliver a great result for the school.”

This project provides a tangible celebration of the school’s education agenda for the Pembroke Middle School cohort. It successfully displays that Pembroke School is progressive, vibrant and innovative, and allowed Sarah to demonstrate their collaborative, forward-thinking approach to construction management.