blog
Do you want to become part of Australia’s future “Green” construction boom?
Australia’s construction sector is one that relies heavily on outside imports with at least 60 percent of construction materials being imported from overseas. Over the coming years, there will be in particular demand in the infrastructure sector with major government investments being allocated for NSW and Victoria, including in green construction.
Let’s take a closer look at some recent trends in the industry
- Eco friendly solutions such as recycled and low toxicity building materials are expected to see a spur in demand. Some of the largest construction companies in Australia – including those handling the majority of the country’s big infrastructure projects – are making ‘green’ practices a top priority in construction approaches. We have seen more construction companies taking more initiatives to acquire ‘green’ certifications such as LEED and BREEAM.
- Modular Market is set for considerable growth over the coming years for its time and cost savings as well as limiting impact on the environment. Currently the value of modular construction is worth 5 percent of the total Australian construction industry value and this figure is expected to grow to 15 percent by 2025.
Here’s our review of Australia’s most sought out building materials
- Steel – is a high demand import of Australia – valued at $7 billion and is Australia’s 9th largest import. It is collected in aggregate quantities from construction and demolition sites and recycled into new steel products. Often times the money brought back into a project from selling the recyclable scrap steel can offset project expenses. Recent environmental considerations will likely fuel the use of recycled steel particularly in infrastructure development and mid-rise commercial structures.
- Timber – is known for its plethora of environmental benefits including reduced carbon consumption, being renewable as well as having natural insulating properties. Timber is a dominant material used in Australia’s residential low-rise building market. In 2019 the national construction code (NCC) streamlined approvals for mass timber structures up to eight-storeys – an action likely to assist timber penetration into the mid-rise building market. As building organisations become more environmentally conscious, we will likely see timber being an increasingly popular choice in interior design.
- Concrete – demand is projected to rise with major infrastructure projects particularly with road constructions expected to grow by 10 percent from 2018 to 2023. Currently 0.9 million tonnes of concrete are imported to Australia every year.
