The Construction Source Australia

Welcome to the latest issue of Construction Source Australia, themagazine that highlights thebest of thebest in building and building products across the country. In this edition, we’ve shined our spotlight on some of the developers and builders behind some of the country’s most acclaimed projects. The company on our cover, Piety Group, is an example of both a developer and builder. Since completing their first project in 2012, they have delivered a run of largescale, affordable, high quality residential and mixeduse development projects. Today, they are a fullyintegrated property company, with their own investment, development, construction, and sales and marketing divisions. We spoke to Lloyd Grigg, Head of Construction for Piety, and the leader of the group’s internal building arm. He talked a lot about the evolution of that arm – about how much they have grown and evolved, the technology they have adopted, the processes they have refined – and their mission to continually “lift the standard of quality.” Lloyd also discussed some of the group’s highest-profile ongoing and upcoming projects. That list includes: ‘Beyond’ in Hurstville, a $700 million project where they are working as the builder; the InterContinental Hotel in Double Bay; a $180 million project where they are a joint venture partner; and ‘The Halston’ in North Strathfield, a $120 million project they are both developing and delivering in-house. For more on those projects, and on that story – and for more stories like it, on other leading developers and builders such as Edge Visionary Living, Dion Group Projects, and Bevnol Homes – just keep reading. All the best, The Editorial Team We will keep adding business units that enhance our offering and separate us from our competition. “ ” Editor From The Dear Reader,

October 2021

The Construction Source Australia Group Publisher Jermaine Poulsen General Manager Alexandra Box Operations Manager Josh Stewart-Boyd Production Manager Vicki Lee Head of Editorial Content Allen Bishop Editor Zach Janes Graphics Design Pranim Thapa With over 58,000 senior executive readers, The Construction Source Australia is proud to offer an attractive platform to share your message with the people that matter most - your customers. Whether your objective is to promote a new product, to attract financial investment or to build brand recognition, we stand ready to help. To find out more about being featured in TCS Australia, please contact our Group Publisher Jermaine Poulsen e: info@theconstructionsource.com.au The Construction Source Australia Suite 11.01, Level 11, 175 Castlereagh Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia info@theconstructionsource.com.au ABN: 42 976 059 923

October 2021 Industry INNOVATIONS PIETY GROUP A new era BEVNOL HOMES Building with pride and integrity EDGE VISIONARY LIVING Exceptional outcomes HALLBURY HOMES Driven by design CREATION HOMES Creating and Delivering Quality DION GROUP PROJECTS Seamless and streamlined Product of the Month The Kights Scanner IN THIS ISSUE NOVEMBER 2021 Creation Homes Hallbury Homes Edge Visionary Homes

October 2021 Aluminum expected to accelerate worldwide adoption of electric and self-driving vehicles Material takes on an ever-widening role in tomorrow’s vehicles For more than a decade, concerns about fuel efficiency have been encouraging OEMS to replace steel with aluminum on vehicle bodies, doors, trunks, hoods, bumpers, crash boxes, brakes, cables and wheels. With the advent of electric and autonomous vehicles, OEMs worldwide are discovering new uses for aluminum. The need for battery casings and heat exchangers in electric vehicles, combined with autonomous vehicles’ demands for high visibility and structural integrity, is expected to exponentially increase the use of sheet aluminum in tomorrow’s cars, trucks and buses. Supporting the transition to battery-powered vehicles Four major design challenges confront OEMs in their transition to electric vehicles. Extending vehicle range Improving battery and passenger safety Increasing passenger comfort Optimizing cooling systems for lithium-ion batteries The substitution of sheet aluminum for steel helps resolve OEM concerns. Industry INNOVATIONS

The Construction Source Australia The lighter the vehicle, the longer its range. According to Ducker Worldwide, aluminum is expected to contribute more than half of the anticipated vehicle mass reduction demanded by electric vehicles (EVs) to extend range. Ducker reports that in North America alone, aluminum content in EVs will increase to nearly 565 pounds (256 kilgrams) per vehicle by 2028. The larger the vehicle, the heavier the battery and casing required to optimize the EV’s range. It is the larger EVs, i.e., sedans, SUVs, taxis, trucks and buses, that will realize the greatest benefits from a steel-to-aluminum conversion. In the U.S., a vehicle’s gross weight determines which class of commercial driver’s license (CDL) will be required. Without lightweighting, some EVs could demand a higher-class license or additional endorsements due to the added weight of the battery. In older European cities like Brussels or London, some bridges and tunnels only allow vehicles up to 3.5 tons in weight, a target that is very difficult to meet for larger EVs without lightweighting. For heavier material transport EVs such as trucks, weight reduction enables an increased payload, providing a significant monetary benefit. Generally, the larger the vehicle, the higher the payback. Particularly relevant for larger human transport EVs such as buses and taxis, the weight reduction made possible through aluminum provides the added benefit of reduced CO2 emissions and improved air quality, of value not only to vehicle operators, but to the communities they serve. The thermal and anti-corrosion properties of aluminum make it ideal for battery frames. Sea-water resistant, highly formable, highly surfaced aluminum alloys provide the strength necessary to pass side-impact crashworthiness testing, protecting passengers and the battery should impact occur. Casing floor plates made out of aluminum are not only strong, but also capable of resisting corrosion related to weather exposure. These characteristics enable aluminum battery casings to resist weather-related deterioration and impact from road debris, minimizing the risk of related fires and further securing passenger safety. Optimizing battery and human safety Extending range Dispersing heat The batteries used in EVs produce energy while charging and decharging, requiring the use of heat exchangers to dissipate heat. But the types of heat exchangers used in vehicle air conditioning systems are inadequate to meet this new challenge. Aluminum clad brazing (which connects multiple layers of aluminum together to disperse heat) requires heating in a controlled atmosphere (e.g., a vacuum) to achieve optimum joining. Aluminum heat exchangers designed specifically to meet the challenges presented by electric vehicles can use as many as five types of aluminum sandwiched together, with the layers providing gradient properties to optimize cooling. These specialized processes and materials address OEM concerns, ensuring adequate dissipation of the heat generated by battery-powered vehicles. An experienced aluminum processing partner can help OEMs specify the right process and alloys to meet specific vehicle temperature thresholds, ideally working side by side with OEM engineers early in the design process to maximize the performance of electric vehicles. IT IS THE LARGER EVS, I.E, SEDANS, SUVS, TAXIS, TRUCKS AND BUSES, THAT WILL REALIZETHEGREATEST BENEFITS FROM A STEEL -TO-ALUMINUM CONVERSION .

October 2021 The luxury sedan market will likely be the first to transition to self-driving electric vehicles. Passenger comfort and safety, and an expansive view of the surrounding environment, are expected to be top priorities for this market. The hefty B pillars used in conventional vehicles to meet structural requirements for crashworthiness are undesirable in a self-driving scenario. To enable large windows and an unobstructed view without sacrificing passenger safety, lightweight aluminum will be the strong material of choice. Supporting the eventual transition to autonomous vehicles In addition to the design challenges presented by EVs, society’s demand for sustainable solutions will likely continue to be a driver in the transition to aluminum-lightweighted vehicles. A Forschungsgesellschaft Kraftfahrwesen mbH Aachen (fka) study, using a Volkswagen Golf as its reference vehicle, determined that an electric aluminum-based vehicle could meet the same safety standards as its steelbased equivalent, while emitting 1.5 tons less greenhouse gases over its lifecycle, taking into consideration production, a total driving distance of more than 93,000 miles (150,000 kilometers) and eventual recycling. Ongoing environmental concerns Conclusion Aluminum alloys are ideally suited to the design challenges presented by electric and autonomous vehicles. By aligning with aluminum partners deeply experienced in developing processes and alloys to meet demanding performance requirements, transportation vehicle OEMs are accelerating the pace of EV and self-driving vehicle adoption throughout North America. .

The Construction Source Australia

October 2021 Busin ss World Australia

The Construction Source Australia Business Worl d Australia

A new era

Piety Group is a Sydney-based property developer and construction delivery company. Since completing their first project in 2012, they have built a portfolio of large-scale residential and mixed-use development projects in appealing locations. Over the years, they have continuously added to their capabilities and upgraded their expertise. Today, they are a fully-integrated property company, with their own investment, development, construction, and sales and marketing divisions.

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With their in-house construction arm, Piety’s vision is to not only deliver their own projects, but to be a “partner of choice” for fellow developers. In order to realize that vision, the company recently relaunched that division – they have a brand new logo, a brand newbuilding team, and a brand new quality focus. Leading that charge is Head of Construction Lloyd Grigg, who joined the company roughly a year-and-a-half back. Since then, the company has evolved and improved considerably. “We have a new, highlyexperienced team,” Lloyd says. “We have a new dedicated quality department, we have a new dedicated occupational health and safety management team, we have newcoordinators on all of our projects, and we’re using new systemized methods of construction.” “We’ve rebuilt the company,” he says. “It’s a new era. We now have the people and the expertise to meet the challenges and demands of this new landscape.” Lloyd is personally a veteran of the construction industry, and brings almost 30 years of experience to his role. Since graduating from the University of Technology, Sydney, with a Bachelor of Building Construction Management, he’s worked with a succession of tier-one builders and property developers, and he’s THE CONSTRUC T I ON SOURCE AUSTRAL I A “We have a new, highly-experienced team,” Lloyd says. “We have a new dedicated quality department, we have a new dedicated occupational health and safety management team, we have new coordinators on all of our projects, and we’re using new systemized methods of construction.”

NOVEMBER 2021 been involved in a long list of significant construction projects that total well over $450 million. After coming off 12 years with Hutchinson Builders, he was offered the opportunity with Piety Group, and he jumped at the chance: “I was given the opportunity to take my experience with larger organizations and apply it to a company that was reasonably young in construction,” Lloyd explains. “They hadn’t yet had that exposure to that highertier of construction yet. This was my chance to grab a hold of something reasonably new, to reinvigorate it, and to put it on a different trajectory. That was exciting to me.” Over the past year, from a building perspective, Piety Group has advanced significantly. Under Lloyd’s direction, they have added new roles to their team, they have implemented new policies and procedures, and they have adopted new technologies and construction methods – among other improvements and enhancements. When he came on board, Lloyd recalls, he recruited essentially a “brand new team.” That included a new quality department, a new safety department, and a new roster of experienced project managers, site managers and foremen – all of whom came equipped with experience in large-scale residential projects. At the same time, the company also recruited a team of “good, young cadets,” Lloyd says. They also designed a mentoring program to put those cadets through, which will launch next year. When assembling the new building team, Lloyd made it a priority to find people who fit the new culture he envisioned for the company. “It’s a bit like a footy team,” he says. “I always use that analogy – construction teams are like footy teams. To build a good team, you have to have the right personalities and you have to implement the right culture. You have to find people

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NOVEMBER 2021 who have something to add to the team, who want to be there, and who want to learn and grow. Those are the team members I was looking for.” Lloyd claims that he was very successful in his search. He says that Piety Group now has a “very strong construction team in place.” He says they “have a lot of experience, a lot of drive, and a lot of excitement about the future.” As they have rebuilt their team, Piety has also rebuilt their systems and processes, according to Lloyd: “We have implemented disciplined procedures across all regimes,” he says. “We’ve restructuredour safetysystems. We’ve revamped our project safety plans. We’ve gotten ISO accreditation. Qualitywise, we’ve implemented new technologies. We’ve responded to the changing regulatory environment.” As an example of a new system, Lloyd cites the technology Piety is now using to monitor and document every individual unit as it being built. That technology allows P to instantly access and review the history of every single unit they are working on. At any time, they can see all the drawings, they can see photographs of the membrane being installed, they can see photographs of water tests being conducted – essentially, they can review the unit’s entire construction history, from startto-finish. “We have all the information from when the building was being constructed,” Lloyd says. “We have it all archived. That gives both our client and the end-user a lot of confidence. Theycanseewhat they’rebuying is legislatively-compliant, and they can see that it was built in a very methodical and tested manner.” These days, Lloyd says that

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Piety Group is also focused on “adding innovation to the business,” and “being progressive in nature.” In order to do that, they have started a focus group to evaluate new strategies, technologies and materials. For example, the company is currently looking at using carbonneutral concreteon their upcoming next project. They are also looking at technology that will allow them to test concrete strength through temperature monitoring via heat sensors embedded in the slabs, instead of relying on the old-fashioned cylinder break tests. If that method works, and the engineers approve, they could potentially save a lot of time on site. “Those are the kind of things we’re open to,” Lloyd explains. “We’re looking ahead. We’re evaluating new products and technologies. We believe it’s important to investigate and see what’s out there.” “We’re no longer the kind of builder that goes ‘We’ve always done it this way, so this is the way we’ll always do it,’” he adds. “If there’s a better way, then then we will look into it. That’s the culture we’re establishing here.” NOVEMBER 2021

Over the past year, Piety Group has demonstrated their heightened quality emphasis on several high-end multi-family developments – all of them large scale, with values in excess of $70 million. Most notably, the company has been working on ‘Beyond’ in Hurstville, a $700 million development by Fridcorp, with Piety Group serving as the builder and a joint venture partner. There, they are delivering four sculpted towers ranging from eight-to-20 levels high, with 563 apartment units of various sizes between them. They are currently ready to hand over the first phase, which includes about 150 units. “The quality of the product is getting some really good reviews,” Lloyd reports. “It’s getting a good level of interest from the local of community. From a sales perspective, it’s going really well. We’re really happy with what we’re producing there.” The next phase THE CONSTRUC T I ON SOURCE AUSTRAL I A

Currently, Piety Group is also workingon the ‘InterContinental Hotel’ – a $180 million project, also being developed in a joint venture with Fridcorp. “That shows how successful the relationship has been, and how successful ‘Beyond’ has been,” Lloyd says. “On the back of that success, we’ve teamed up with Fridcorp again and we’re moving forward on a very significant project.” The InterContinental is an iconic harbour-front hotel that was refurbished in 2014, and now includes function and conference facilities, two bars, a rooftop pool bar, and 156 underground car parks, in addition to its 140 rooms. Together, Piety and Fridcorp aim to convert the property into a series of high-end apartment units. Their goal is to “return the property back to its former prestige” and “ensure the hotel’s legacy.” Another goal of the project, Lloyd says, is to “solidify Piety’s new position in the market.” They want to become known as a builder that delivers “more than your standard residential unit product,” and they believe the ‘InterContinental’ will help them build that reputation. “We want to take the next step from where we’ve been,” Lloyd says. “We want to position ourselves as a builder of choice. We want to be known for doing projects that are a little bit more high-end.” NOVEMBER 2021

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Over the years, Piety Group has built some longstanding and trusting relationships with a key roster of subcontractors, consultants, and community stakeholders. According to Lloyd, many of those relationships date back to the company’s inception. “We have a loyal band of subcontractors that have stayed with Piety from the beginning,” Lloyd says. “A lot of them come with us from job to job. They are basically an extension of Piety.” “Bilal El-Cheikh, our owner, treats them as part of the business,” Lloyd adds. “He assists them whenever he can, and in return we get great service and great products.” Over the past year, he says the majority of Piety’s partners have joined the company on its journey of improvement and reinvention. “They have got on board with the new Piety,” Lloyd says. “A lot of them were like us a couple years ago – they hadn’t been exposed to a lot of the processes and procedures that come from that higher-tier construction Culture is key NOVEMBER 2021

world, but they have embraced them.” “We’re looking for our subcontractors to join us in our development and growth,” he adds. “We want to prosper together.” One example of a partner who has joined Piety on their journey is Renovision – a masonry company with a deep portfolio of first-rate builds under their belt. They are a family business, one that takes pride in executing their projects with both speed and precision. Like Piety Group, they are dedicated to building solid, trusting relationships with their partners, and they earn that trust through design excellence, efficient craftsmanship, and superior customer care. Another example is Silver Trading Timber Flooring, a provider of high-quality timber and carpet flooring products for Sydney households and businesses. They offer customers a large range of products for competitive prices. Piety Group relies on them to provide the best “floor solving solutions.” There’s also SHR Joinery – they also offer a quality range of products, mostly sourced through local suppliers. On every project, they work closely with their customers like Piety Group to deliver a custom joinery solution that suits the specific needs of the project. Providing quality service is at the top of their priority list. In the future, Lloyd says Piety Group’s goal is tomaintain those relationships – and hopefully, as the company grows, to build new relationships that will become just as strong. With the assistance of those current and future partners, Piety’s goal is also to continue deliveringprojectsashighcalibre and high-quality as ‘Beyond’ and the ‘InterContinental.’ They THE CONSTRUC T I ON SOURCE AUSTRAL I A

envision ‘The Halston’ as being just as impactful, and they want to keep building on that momentum. As they move forward, Piety Group also wants to continue delivering projects where they play an “integral role.” According to Lloyd, the company is not all that interested in being “just” a third-party builder. “Piety is a company with a lot of divisions, and a lot of expertise,” he says. “We can assist with funding. We can assist with development. We can assist with design, with sales and marketing, with asset management and customer care. If a developer or JV partner needs assistance with anything, Piety can bring those skills to the table.” According to Lloyd, Piety’s goal is to turn over between $250to-$300 million per year. Ideally, they will do that with three, four, or five large-scale residential projects, spaced out so that when one project concludes the next enters the dig phase. They see the majority of those projects either being their own developments, or projects developed in joint ventures with other reputable industry partners. “Our vision is to stick to what we know – which is high quality residential developments in sought-after Sydney locations,” Lloyd says. “Wedon’t necessarily want to be a tier-one or even a tier-two builder – but we do want to use the processes and procedures from that level of builder, and we want to apply them to what we do.” “We want to maintain a good business, with good ethics, and we want to employ a good band of people,” he adds. “We want to deliver a good quality of product and we want to enjoy ourselves along the way.” “The culture of our business is key,” he concludes. “Over the past year, we have invested a lot of time and energy into building that culture, and now we want to maintain it. We believe that if you build a good culture, the rest will look after itself.” NOVEMBER 2021

THE CONSTRUC T I ON SOURCE AUSTRAL I A For more on Piety Group, their latest news, their current and future projects, and their full range of capabilities – from construction, to development, to sales and marketing and beyond – visit http://www.piety.com.au/

Building with pride and integrity

Bevnol Homes is a Melbourne-based builder that has been building family dream homes for more than 30 years. In that time, the company has not only built a lot of homes, but also a lot of trust. They have developed a reputation in their community for both their personal and professional customer service and their unparalleled quality of work. Whether clients are looking for their first home, downsizing, or building their forever home, Bevnol has become known as a builder that will be with them every step of the way, and at the end of the day achieve the best results.

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“Our company was founded on pride, integrity, and customer satisfaction,” says Brett Allain, a second-generation director of the company. “Those were the pillars on which we were built, and those pillars have carried through into each home over the years.” Bevnol Homes was originally founded in 1989 by Lou Allain and Bruce Jamieson. Brett joined the company in 1994, after completing an apprenticeship as a cabinetmaker and achieving two ‘Apprentice of the Year’ awards. With Bevnol, he started working as a framing carpenter, before later taking on roles as a supervisor, estimator, and construction manager. His brother, Grant Allain, similarly worked his way up through the company. Roughly four years ago, Brett and Grant – armed with that lifetime of experience and expertise – purchased the company from their father and his partner, Bruce Jamieson, and took over as directors. “We’ve experienced every aspect of the business,” Brett says. “We know each role backwards and forwards, because we’ve done it all. We’ve come in from the ground floor and worked our way up.” Over the years, Bevnol Homes has done a variety of builds, from standard residential homes right through to multiTHE CONSTRUC T I ON SOURCE AUSTRAL I A “Our company was founded on pride, integrity, and customer satisfaction,” says Brett Allain, a secondgeneration director of the company. “Those were the pillars on which we were built, and those pillars have carried through into each home over the years.”

million dollar constructions including child care centres, retirement villages, large multiunit sites, and specialty projects including chapels. These days, they focus primarily on the single-residential market, building quality affordable homes ranging in size from 120 to 300 square metres. For customers, the process of working with Bevnol on a new home typically starts with visiting a display home and speaking to a sales consultant. From there, they can bring in their own plans or choose from one of the company’s many existing plans – which are already pre-engineered and priced and ready to go. In the majority of cases, Brett explains, clients will start with of the company’s existing plans, and then customize it to meet their specific needs, as Bevnol offers that freedom. “That sets us apart,” Brett says. “Most of the larger volume builders won’t allow changes to their standard plans. We do. That’s why a lot of our customers choose us. We get a lot of work for that reason.” Other reasons Bevnol gets a lot of work, Brett explains, include “our reputation, our service, and our pricing.” “For many people, price is what it comes down to,” he says. “We’re not the cheapest builder out there, but we offer a competitive price, and we provide really good quality for our price. We provide great value for money.” As testament to that value, Brett cites the consistently positive reviews the company earns, as well as their volume of repeat work and referrals: “We’ve been around a long time. In a lot of cases, we build people’s first home. Years later, when they’re ready to build their second home, they return.” “We also do a lot of work for the investor market,” he adds. “Once they do one investment property with us, they tend to keep coming back to keep building up their property NOVEMBER 2021

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portfolio.” In addition to their competitive pricing, Brett credits that customer loyalty to Bevnol’s founding values and principles: “We’re a family-oriented business,” he explains, “and we don’t treat our clients as numbers. We build personal relationships with our clients. Our clients have access to the owners of the business. When they have questions, or they have a problem, they can come to us for answers. I think customers like that. They like knowing who’s building their home.” Brett also credits the company’s standard of workmanship – which, again, he believes is higher than the standard customers would get from most comparably-priced builders. “Our supervisors are very diligent,” he explains. “They meet with the client on site on at least three different stages throughout the process and they walk through the home. They make sure that everything that’s being built is to the client’s satisfaction. If there are any issues, they address them early on.” Bevnol’s roster of subcontractors and suppliers are also very diligent, according to Brett. The majority have also been working with the company for decades. “We’re pretty loyal to our partners,” Brett says. “Some of those relationships go back to when we started in 1989. Some of them have been working with us from day one. Others have been working with us for 20 years. Most have been working with us for over 10.” One longstanding partner is Clear Kitchen Solutions – they are a custom joinery and carpentry service provider that “embodies craftsmanship,” according to Brett. Like Bevnol Homes, they are a familyowned business that has been working in Victoria for decades, and they are backed by a team of experts with the knowledge and expertise to ensure the best project outcomes possible. They also specialise in utilising Australian-made products and locally-made materials, which is a quality Bevnol highly appreciates. NOVEMBER 2021

Currently, Bevnol Homes has four existing display homes, with one under construction, and another set to commence construction in the New Year. Two of the existing displays are located at the Eliston Estate in Clyde; another is located Canopy Estate in Cranbourne. The display under construction is located in Clyde North at the new Orana Estate. The upcoming display is a fourbedroom home that is being created to target families. It’s one of the larger homes in Bevnol’s portfolio, but like all of the company’s products, it was designed to offer exceptional value for money. Moving forward, Brett says his goal is to continue building display homes, as they are a significant driver of business for the company – and, as previously mentioned, usually Looking forward THE CONSTRUC T I ON SOURCE AUSTRAL I A

the first stop of prospective clients. Relatedly, Brett’s goal is also to grow the company. Bevnol Homes currently builds between 100 and 150 homes per year, but they’d like to build closer to 200. Once they get there, Brett believes, they will be at their ideal size – a size where they can still provide clients with both the pricing and the service that they deserve. “If you get too much bigger, I think the service could start to slip, and I never want to see that happen,” Brett concludes NOVEMBER 2021

THE CONSTRUC T I ON SOURCE AUSTRAL I A For more on Bevnol Homes, their portfolio of designs, their capabilities, and to hear from their happy homebuyers – also, to get in touch with Brett and his team – visit https://www.bevnol.com.au/

Exceptional outcomes

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Edge Visionary Living is a Perth-based developer of premium apartments that has accomplished a lot in a short time. Since delivering their first project in 2014, they have grown rapidly in size and acclaim. They have delivered some of the city’s most striking properties in the some of the most coveted locations, they have won some of the industry’s most prestigious accolades, and they have built a reputation as one of the most cutting-edge, contemporary developers in Western Australia. Recently, the growth of Edge Visionary Living – and the evolution of their industry reputation – culminated with their sweep of the highlycoveted UDIA WA Awards. At the 2021 ceremony, the company’s most recent project, Eden Floreat, was awarded not only the High Density Award, but also the Russel Perry Award for Urban Design Excellence. The UDIA awards program is extremely highly regarded in the urban development industry. Winners represent the highest achievers in community creation, innovation, and sustainability. The Russel Perry Award, in particular, is selected from the victors of all the individual categories – it’s the project that the judges consider to be the ‘Best of the Best.’ Eden Floreat thus represents the very best urban development project delivered within Western THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRAL IA “We are extremely proud of where we have taken Edge Visionary Living as a business in such a relatively short time,” he says. “We are now being recognised by the public and industry professionals alike for the premium quality of our luxury developments.”

NOVEMBER 2021 Australia Gavin Hawkins, Managing Directorof EdgeVisionaryLiving, describes being extremely honoured by that achievement, and the milestone it represents for the company and their team: “We are extremely proud of where we have taken Edge Visionary Living as a business in such a relatively short time,” he says. “We are now being recognised by the public and industry professionals alike for the premium quality of our luxury developments.” Edge Visionary Living was founded by Gavin and his fellow director David Hillam – both have backgrounds in property in architecture, and their combined experience in the industry goes back over 40 years. They credit that depth of experience to the business “gaining traction relatively quickly, both in terms of equity and debt, which underpinned our strong early growth.” The company’s first project was a 48-apartment complex in Rivervale launched in 2014. That project was targeting the more affordable end of the market and sold out very quickly. On that project – and on all projects since – Edge has been extremely conscious of developing only in premium locations, whether it be on a lake in the heart of the Western Suburbs, on the river overlooking Kings Park and the city, or on the beachfront. They have focused on delivering developments that are unique, and that “deliver an exceptional outcome in terms of the desired lifestyles of our clients.” “We work extremely hard on

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creating, not justanaesthetically pleasing design, but a highly functional product that offers our clients everything that they desire both within the building and the local community,” Gavin says. That design-led approach is aided by the company’s partnership with Hillam Architects – of which Edge co- Director David Hillam is the Principal. According to Gavin, that partnership, the approach it enables, is a significant part of what sets Eden Floreat apart. He describes their “cutting-edge designs” – which are practical and aesthetically-striking – as “paramount in generating the significant levels of interest from our clients.” “Customers must have compelling reasons to choose the apartment living experience that we offer, with all the security, world class amenities and great community feel, over the traditional house on a large block,” he says. Eden Floreat, Gavin says, is a prime example of all those qualities in action. NOVEMBER 2021

Eden Floreat includes two buildings – Eden East and Eden West. Eden West comprises 100 apartmentsandonecommercial space over five levels. Eden East comprises 62 apartments over four levels. The diverse offering across the two buildings includes one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, as well as three and four-bedroom penthouses. There was also a unique offering of 14 two-storey private residences with direct street access. Gavin credits the success of the project to a multitude of factors, starting with the location in the heart of Perth’s western suburbs, overlooking Perry Lakes. “At Eden Floreat we wanted to bring a level of premium apartment living that had never been seen before in Floreat or in the greater western suburbs Inspire, elevate, exceed THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRAL IA

in general,” Gavin says. “The site was spectacular,” he adds. “Eden residents have direct access to the abundant natural recreational space of Perry Lakes and Bold Park totalling 430 hectares. It also sits just three kilometres from the beach and seven kilometres from the city, in an area so peaceful yet connected to life’s conveniences. It is a location that has traditionally only been accessible to individual residences.” “We knew through our market research that people are rethinking what is important to them when it comes to apartment living. Eden has attracted local downsizers wishing to maintain the experiences they are used to in a traditional house on a large block of land, typical of this area.” Gavin also credits Eden’s success to the recreational amenities, which he describes as “arguably the finest in Perth,” as well as a “source of great pride for the Eden community.” A series of communal spaces in and around the buildings have been designed to transition between the public and private spaces with landscaping informed by the public space nearby. The amenities include: a 25 metre swimming pool and sun deck; gym; spa; steam room and sauna; multiple barbecue and alfresco dining spaces; caterer’s kitchen; scullery, dining and lounge areas; wine cellar and tasting room; a book retreat; theatre; reflection pools; and external lounge spaces. NOVEMBER 2021

The amenities complement the many recreational activities afforded by the location on the doorstep of Perry Lakes, Bold Park and City Beach. Oriented to the West, the amenities have views to the sunset terrace, which overlooks the expanse of bushland at Perry Lakes. Then there’s the design of the project – Gavin says that David and his team at Hillam Architects deserve a large percentage of the acclaim for their beautiful work, which carefully addressed the rich history of the area, “The redevelopment area of Perry Lakes has a rich history as the site of the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, which were used as a catalyst to showcase Perth as a modern city,” Gavin explains. “The event drove architectural design and competition for not only the stadium, but the games village and surrounding suburbs. The Floreat area has become synonymous with the mid-century modernist aesthetic of the era.” “Eden West has addressed the significance of the site and embraced the vision for the area,” he says. “The timeless architectural design is a positive addition to the streetscape and public realm and provides a development that is responsive to the community demands for diverse housing options. Eden is sympathetic to the precinct’s sporting heritage and the precious surrounding environment while embracing and connecting with the pristine parkside location.” Duringthedesignprocess,David THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRAL IA

and his team also considered contextual relationships – such as the adjacent parkland setting, nearby amenities, proximity to urban nodes and nearby infrastructure. Inaddition, EdgeVisionaryLiving undertook extensive market research into downsizers in the area, whether they be retirees, empty nesters, or mature age singles. What they found was that there were very limited options for sophisticated, larger apartments in Perth, especially those that offer “resort-style amenities in the superb locations that they already know and love.” With Eden Floreat, Edge wanted to fill that niche. “Only premium fitting and fixtures have been used throughout Eden,” Gavin says. “The generous floorplan layout of each apartment feature three-to-three-and-a-half metre ceilings, expansive glazing and oversized balconies. Kitchens and bathrooms are fitted with high-end appliances such as Gaggenau, designer bronze tapware, range-hood and cupboard door hardware, engineered timber veneer cabinetry and parquetry floors, stone benchtops, freestanding bathtubs and bespoke lighting solutions.” The buildings host a variety of unit designs within each apartment type, which Gavin explains gave entry-level buyers “a range of apartment options” whilst at the same time “providing opportunities for those buyers who were seeking a more premium offering.” A rangeof penthouses andprivate residences, for example, were designed with the flexibility to cater for home office fit outs, self-contained guest suites, and teenage retreats with dual key access and private garages for up to four cars. Again, Gavin says, the ability to meet the diverse needs of different demographics is a credit to the drive of David and his team. “David’s passion for understanding how people use and live in buildings, as well as his exceptional eye for design and obsession with detail, has established Hillam Architects as one of Perth’s leading design firms. Hillam Architects sees opportunity for extraordinary design at every scale and produces spaces that inspire, elevate and exceed the lifestyle expectations of the people who interact with them.” “Working as a part of the development team has ensured a pragmatic, handson approach to the challenge of combining the business needs of stakeholders and developers with our passion for producing buildings that are innovative and enduring. As testament to the quality of Eden Floreat, David Hillam is making preparations to move into his penthouse apartment and become part of the community he has helped build at Eden.” NOVEMBER 2021

Eden West was completed in May,andEdenEast inNovember. Both buildings have already proven to be “outstanding commercial successes,” Gavin says, even in spite of the difficult property market conditions that have persisted until recently. Gavin believes that buyers responded to the project because it filled a previously unfilled niche. “Discerning local downsizers looking to move from larger homes with pools, games rooms and more were previously limited in the apartment choices available in the area that allowed them to maintain the lifestyle to which they were accustomed,” he explains. “Eden Floreat’s premium apartments are significantly larger than market standard and the high standard of finish and level of amenities have exceeded the expectations of residents.” Gavin also believes the “sense of the community” they built had a lot to do with the success. He A sense of community THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRAL IA

says that sense is “fundamental to all Edge projects and how this is being taken on board and lovingly nurtured by Eden residents.” To foster that community feeling, and to ensure strong relationships with buyers, Eden relies on their internal sales and marketing department. They are one of the very few developers in Peth that have such a division in-house. “We feel that this is paramount in providing our clients with a fantastic experience through the sales, construction and moving in phases of our projects,” Gavin says. “Given we stay so close to our buyers throughout the journey and provide them with high level of support, our settlement rates at completion are very close to if not achieving 100 per cent success rates.” “Our personalised approach extends to residents having a choice between three curated colour palettes, extensive upgrades and bespoke lighting options – which requires extensivecoordinationbetween the developer, architects and contractors.” Edge also has a dedicated onboarding team to make the process “as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.” That team includes and in-house maintenance person who helps buyers where necessary in the move-in process. For continued support after moving in, Edge will represent the strata body for the first 12 months at Eden to ensure that the building operates as per the design intention. They are encouraging their residents to become part of the advisory committee early on as an opportunity to NOVEMBER 2021

familiarise themselves with the daily running of the building, and to prepare themselves for any future involvement in the ‘Council of Owners’ body at the end of the first 12 months. “Thislevelofsupportthroughout all stages is greatly appreciated by residents who, in the majority, have had no previous experience of apartment living,” Gavin explains. According to Gavin, Edge is extremely proud of the relationships they are now building with buyers. He’s also proud of the relationships they have built with other project stakeholders, including their builders. He says the project could not have been delivered without the collaboration of every member of the project team. For example, they started building Eden West in August 2019, so it was under construction during the COVID19-caused turbulence of 2021. Gavin says that they were able to persevere and complete the project due to the commitment of BGC, who he calls “one of Western Australia’s top builders.” “From the very first announcement of the lockdown, subsequent trade number restrictions on site, and uncertainty around whether WA building sites may be required to follow the lead of other Australian states and territories to shut down altogether, we worked together with the strong team at BGC, who were well equipped to deal with any unforeseen setbacks.” “With the close communication required to monitor and respond to the situation as it literally continued to evolve rapidly from day-to-day, we THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRAL IA

managed to experience only slight delays to the project,” Gavin says. “We are also very proud that a significant portion of the materials BGC and Edge used at Eden West were manufactured in Western Australia,” he continues. “Not only were we supporting our local community during a time of need, but the relationships with our valued local suppliers subsequently reduced our exposure to the international market. The Edge Development Team worked tirelessly to ensure all materials arrived safely and on-time and we managed to source the building components through our regular supply chains.” Currently, Edge Visionary Living is enjoying the result of their perseverance. They are now observing the community at Eden Floreat as it takes form, and seeing the residents take ownership of it. According to Gavin, that’s been the most rewarding part of the development process – more rewarding, even, than the literal industry awards. “We are so incredibly proud of the feedback we have received by the Eden community and industry professionals alike,” he says. “The success at the UDIA Awards is testament to the experience and quality of the Edge team and the projects we deliver.” “It is, however, the community that we are seeing being created and nurtured by the residents of Eden that gives us the most joy and pride.” NOVEMBER 2021

THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRAL IA For more on Edge Visionary Living, their team, their design approach, and the rest of their industry-leading apartment projects, visit https://www.edgevl.com.au/ For more on Eden Floreat specifically, visit https://edenfloreat.com.au/

Driven by design

Hallbury Homes is a company that was founded with the goal of becoming Melbourne’s leading custom new home builder. In order to achieve that goal, they have focused on providing their customers with “amazing designs, great builds, and positive purchase experiences.” With every new home they build, they strive to exceed their client’s expectations, and to enhance their reputation as a result. They want to be known as the builder that’s setting the benchmark for “design, quality, and excellence in project delivery.”

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“We take a lot of pride in the in our reputation, and in the brand that we are building,” says Ryan Fehily, Marketing Manager. “We believe the best way to build that brand is to create great designs and then construct them into beautiful new homes for our clients. That’s what we do, and that’s how we’ve grown our business.” Hallbury Homes was founded by director Cliff Hall, who came from a deep background in construction. His greatgrandfather, grandfather, and father all worked as carpenters, and Cliff has personally been a part of the industry his entire working life. He started off an apprentice carpenter when he was 16, and after undertaking further building studies abroad, he moved to Australia from England and formed Hallbury Homes in 1990. Hallbury started as a small family business, but quickly flourished. The business rapidly grewinsizeandrenown,winning awards and attracting clients, to the point that it became too much for Cliff to handle alone. In 2011, he partnered with fellow director Glenn Smith in order to take the business to the next level. Glenn came from an accountancy background and he brought business management, law, and general operational skills to the table. Under Cliff and Glenn’s joint leadership, Hallbury Homes has THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRAL IA “We take a lot of pride in the in our reputation, and in the brand that we are building,” says Ryan Fehily, Marketing Manager. “We believe the best way to build that brand is to create great designs and then construct them into beautiful new homes for our clients. That’s what we do, and that’s how we’ve grown our business.”

NOVEMBER 2021 grown by leaps and bounds. These days, they do just under 100 homes per year, none of them the same – even if they start with the same predesigned floorplan, they always modify and customize it tomeet the specific needs of the client. “We offer a range of design and building services,” Ryan explains. “Clients can use our pre-designed floor plans as a template they can modify, or our in-house design team work with them to design something from a clean slate and develop a one-of-a-kind home for them based on their brief and requirements.” Hallbury Homes also works with developers, largely building dual occupancy and duplex product. Those projects are also unique, every one of them, and that uniqueness has been consistently rewarded with record sales figures. On the single-residential side – where their homes are typically valued between $800,000 and $2 million – Ryan believes most clients choose Hallbury Homes due to their ability to provide cost certainty. He says that many of their clients have experience working with architects first, coming up with plans they fall in love with, only to be disappointed when they later talk to builders and learn the plan is well over their budget. Those same clients are “very pleasantly surprised” when they try again with Hallbury Homes, Ryan says. “Because we’re a designer and a builder, we can create great designs for our clients and accurately cost them along the way,” Ryan explains. “We ensure we meet not only the requirements of their design brief, but the requirements of

their budget as well.” Another benefit of coming to Hallbury, he continues, is their ideal size – they build enough homes that they can achieve economies of scale when buying materials, but they are also not quite a volume builder, so they can still offer clients “the personal service and attention to detail that they love.” Hallbury Homes is rewarded for their level personal service and attention to detail in the form of word of mouth. According to Ryan, that’s how the company generates the majority of their leads. “A large percentage of our business is referrals,” he says. “We build a lot for friends and family of people who’ve built with us before. They come to us because they know we’ve built for someone they know, and that we delivered on their expectations.” Ryan further credits that customer loyalty to the “livability” and “personality” of first their designs, and ultimately their homes. “During the initial design phase, we sit down with clients and we go through what their life is like at the moment, and also what they see their life being like in the future,” Ryan explains. “We then design them a home that suits their lifestyle. We make sure their home is going to meet their needs not just when we’re done building it, but also their needs in 10, 20, even 30 years down the track.” Throughout the design and building process, Hallbury Homes is also transparent with customers, Ryan reiterates. The company believes that transparency is vital to building trust. THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRAL IA

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