The Construction Source Australia

Welcome to the latest issue of Construction Source Australia, the magazine that highlights the best in building and building products across the country. In this edition, we take a look at CA Architects – an accomplished, quality-assured, award-winning winning architectural practice with offices in Cairns, Townsville, and Darwin. Their goal is to design projects that make a positive impact on the communities they are located, and a result they have been a part of a long-list of exciting and industry-recognized buildings and urban environments. Recent examples include the Cairns Performing Arts Centre (CPAC) and the nearby Munro Martin Parklands. To learn more about those projects and the design visions behind them, we spoke to Carlo Amerio, the founder and director of CA Architects. Carlo also talked to us about the long history of his practice, and about the young directors they have put in place to take over and continue that history well into the future. Also featured in this issue are Brett Ward Homes and Dall Designer Homes, two highly-acclaimed custom homebuilders based in the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast respectively. We talked to their directors about some of their recently awardwinning projects and the challenges they had to overcome to deliver them. For those stories – and a whole lot more like them, in this edition and future editions – 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,

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The Construction Source Australia Group Publisher Jermaine Poulsen General Manager Alexandra Box Operations Manager Shon Washington Production Manager Vicki Lee Head of Editorial Content Tamara Breen Scott Carter 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

APRIL 2023 Industry INNOVATIONS Product of the Month The Kights Scanner CA ARCHITECTS Always looking ahead BRETT WARD HOMES Luxury specialists MOONYAH The Magic of Moonyah Tiny Homes ALROE CONSTRUCTIONS Pushing the envelope in NDIS IN THIS ISSUE MAY 2023 BRETT WARD HOMES CA ARCHITECTS

APRIL 2023 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 REALIZE THE GREATEST BENEFITS FROM A STEEL -TO-ALUMINUM CONVERSION .

APRIL 2023 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

APRIL 2023 Business World Australia

The Construction Source Australia Business Worl d Australia

Always looking ahead

CA Architects is an accomplished, quality-assured, awardwinning winning architectural practice with offices in Cairns and Townsville, and a satellite office in Darwin. They have experience in a wide range of building projects, including many unique projects, and they provide a full range of architectural services from project inception to completion. No matter a project’s particular requirements or constraints, they provide a personal service focused on the clients’ needs, functions, and aspirations.

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“Our reputation rests on a continued commitment to quality and the pursuit of excellence,” says Carlo Amerio, the practice’s founder and director. “We constantly strive to improve both our performance and that of our clients through innovation and a proactive approach to the design process. Our expertise and resources together with our local knowledge ensures that we are equipped to deal with a diverse range of projects and provide innovative and practical solutions of the highest quality.” Carlo has been practicing as an architect since 1984, and over the years he has developed a deep well of experience in multiple building types, including residential, commercial mixed-use, and masterplanning. He first established CA Architects in Cairns in 1993. Originally, the practice was just Carlo and one other person. Today, they employ just over 20 people. From the start, the mission of CA Architects has been to design buildings and urban environments that bring value to the communities in which they are located. Their goal was never to focus on just one sector or typology – Carlo always wanted the practice to be diverse, as befitting his background and experience – but no matter the sector, they wanted to apply the same holistic approach to problem solving, and they wanted their design to fit in with and enhance the existing environment. These days, CA Architects works in a variety of settings on projects that can vary greatly in size and value. Their specialties include: masterplanning and urban design; workplace and education; cultural and community; mixed-use and commercial; private and multiresidential; and hospitality and leisure. On the higher end jobs, they regularly joint venture with other national and international firms, which allows them to take on projects of virtually unlimited value. When it comes to those high THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRALIA

value projects, Carlo believes clients choose CA Architects due to their aforementioned reputation: “We’re known for delivering quality projects and welldesigned buildings,” he reiterates. “We’re one of the few practices in the Cairns region that is third party accredited. We have a strict protocol to follow in terms of QA, and we get audited on a yearly basis. We really have to make sure that we’re equipped with the latest information and that we’re using the most professional techniques.” “We’re also known for our service,” Carlo adds. “We’re approachable and easy to work with. We work with clients as part of a team. We listen to their needs and deliver to their expectations.” “And we recognize that things don’t ever go perfectly right on a project,” he continues. “What’s important is that when issues arise, you fix them quickly and move on. That’s what we do. That’s how we have built great relationships with our clientele.” Over the years, CA Architects has also built great relationships with their other industry partners, including the builders they work with and the suppliers they source from. One frequent supply partner, for example, is ForestOne – they are Australia’s leading independent distributor of timber and decorative surface materials. They are a company with sales and distribution teams throughout Australia, including Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Cairns, and Townsville. Their extensive distribution network allows them to offer responsive customer service and timely product delivery. In all markets, they focus on providing natural, beautiful products, and they are committed to responsibly sourcing, promoting, and supplying certified forest products. ForestOne’s environmental commitment makes them a good fit with CA Architects – as CA Architects always takes an environmentally-sustainable design approach, and they strive to source renewable or recyclable resources whenever possible. MAY 2023

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As examples of what CA Architects is capable of – and the kind of impact they strive to create with their work – Carlo cites two recent interconnected and multi-award-winning projects: the Cairns Performing Arts Centre and the Munro Martin Parklands. The Cairns Performing Arts Centre (CPAC) is Queensland’s largest regional performing arts centre, located on a site with a long history connected to the community and the arts. There, CA Architects, in association with Cox Architecture, designed an all-new facility that could cater to the specific needs of local arts organisations as well as major touring companies including the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and Oz Opera, among others. The Munro Martin Parklands, meanwhile, has also long been a cultural centre of Cairns. Over the years, the park has had several name changes, it has been used as a command centre, and it has held a long list of sporting and social events. Making an impact MAY 2023

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Recently, CA Architects was part of a redevelopment effort to transform the space into an effective, vibrant public amenity and unique open air performing arts venue. Working with Prowse Landscape Architects – and with the support of Cox Architecture – they came up with a design that used impressive structural arbours covered in colourful vines to “give the space definition,” Carlo says. “The heroes of the scene are the 70 arbour frames, providing the stage for 275 vines with a supporting cast consisting of 63 new trees, and almost 7,000 smaller plants,” Carlo describes. The outdoor stage – which was designed to accommodate an entire Symphony Orchestra, but with the flexibility to host a variety of professional, amateur and community events – is also furnished by the” botanical actors,” with a 10-metre high trellis proscenium “flourishing with the radiant colours of the mandevilla vine.” There’s also a backdrop created from local rock in the form of a six-metre tall curved gabion wall. Over the past few years, the Munro Martin Parklands has been repeatedly recognized by industry bodies including the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA). For example, at the 2017 Far North Queensland Architecture Awards, hosted by the AIA’s Queensland Chapter, the project was awarded ‘Regional Project of the Year.’ The jury praised the parklands for its “clever use of landscaping,” which “minimizes traffic noise while subtly encouraging people to explore the park MAY 2023

and celebrate the heritage aspects of the site.” The jury also commended the design team for delivering a “vibrant tropical design incorporating an outdoor theatre setting with a dramatic, green proscenium in the heart of Cairns.” Later in 2017, at the AIA Queensland State Architecture Awards, the Munro Martin Parklands also won an award in the ‘Urban Design’ category. In the years since, the prizes have continued to accumulate. In 2021, at the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects Awards, the parklands won the category for ‘Excellence in Parks and Open Spaces.’ The Cairns Performing Arts Centre has also been repeatedly award-recognized. Most notably, in 2021, CA Architects and Cox Architecture were rewarded for their work on the project with the Queensland Architecture medallion – which is the highest honour of the AIA’s state architecture awards. The same year, the two companies also received the FDG Stanley Award for Public Architecture. In her comments, AIA Jury Chair Eloise Atkinson applauded the building for its state-of-theart technology and facilities, increased audience capacity, and compatibility with its tropical landscape: “CPAC is undeniably a building that responds to its site, its city, and its wet tropical environment, reflecting the colours, filtered light, lush vegetation and lifestyle of the tropics,” Eloise said. “It is a complex building technically with extraordinary flexibility in terms of performance modes.” THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRALIA

She also praised the building for being not only “architecturallysignificant,” but also “a wonderful cultural asset” for the city. She called it “a public building that enables more cultural experiences and is a catalyst for economic growth.” That kind of feedback and industry recognition means a lot to CA Architects, according to Carlo: “Awards are really important to us, because they come from our peers in the industry, and they are not easily given,” he says. “They make all the hard work that you do worthwhile. They also help us with marketing. They give our clientele confidence that we’re a quality practice, and confidence that the project we’re going to deliver will meet their needs and the needs of the community.” In this case, Carlo credits the award-winning results to the relationships they built with the clients and other stakeholders on both projects: “On projects like this, the most important thing is to really understand the client,” he explains. “You have to understand their needs and wants. If you don’t understand their requirements, you won’t be able to guide them to a result that meets those requirements.” “The other really important thing is good collaboration, with both the client and the other architects,” he adds. “We all have to listen to each other and work together. We believe that’s the key to a really successful project.” Moving forward, CA Architects’ goal is to continue achieving success through collaboration, and continue delivering highprofile and award-winning projects like CPAC and the Munro Martin Parklands. Their vision is to do more projects of that size and scope, not just in Cairns but in other locations including Townsville, Brisbane, and Darwin. The practice currently has a group of young associate directors who are eager to take those steps. “There’s a succession plan in place for the young directors to take over,” Carlo says. “They are very keen to grow the business and develop it in other areas. Their idea is definitely to grow the practice to the next level.” “There’s definitely a big future for CA Architects,” Carlo concludes. MAY 2023

THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRALIA For more on CA Architects, what they do, their past projects, and their latest news and concepts – and to get in touch with Carlo and his growing team – visit https://www.caarchitects.com.au/

Luxury specialists

Brett Ward Homes is a multi-award winning custom homebuilder specialising in design and construction of luxury homes on the Gold Coast. Over the 23-year history, they have completed well over 200 homes and have won a long list of HIA Awards, and they have been featured in the TV series ‘Australia’s Best Houses.’

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Brett Ward Homes have developed a reputation as one of the finest home builders in the region, known for “consistently delivering customer satisfaction from the start of a project until the finish,” according to founder and managing director Brett Ward. Brett has been operating as a licensed builder since 1994, and has been leading Brett Ward Homes since 2000. Over the years, he has never wavered from his commitment to professional service and quality building standards. Those are values that were instilled in him from a young age, ever since he started working for his father’s building company in the 1980s. Today, Brett Ward Homes remains a family-powered company. Brett’s younger brother serves as a supervisor; his wife Kirsty runs the office; and their son is one of the company’s in-house carpenters. “We are the quintessential multi-generation Australian family building company,” Kirsty says. Initially, the company focused on building family homes. As they grew, their reputation for delivering high quality homes and repeat clients saw a progression to bigger, more complex projects. Brett Ward Homes now builds high end luxury homes with values between $1.5 million and $3 million, while, also building traditional family homes west of the Gold Coast, in Beaudesert. “The reason we build in Beaudesert is it’s difficult to get vacant land on the Gold Coast,” Kirsty explains. “The average family is realistically priced out of the market here. They need a million dollars-plus to buy an average home, whereas they can get a beautiful brand new home in Beaudesert for under $650,000.” “A lot of people are making the choice to live away from the Gold Coast,” she explains. “And Beaudesert is a good option because it’s only an hour away. THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRALIA

We want to work with the people making that choice.” According to Kirsty, those clients choose Brett Ward Homes for the same reasons that clients choose them to build their dream homes. The main reason, she believes, is the personal service they offer: “The client deals directly with Brett and me,” she says. “And if Brett’s not available, they are dealing with his brother. Clients are not dealing with multiple supervisors or different administration staff. They are dealing with people whose name is on the sign. I think that gives them a lot of confidence.” “When your name is on the sign you’re a lot more invested,” she adds. “You care more, it is personal if something goes wrong. I our clients feel that and see that. They feel our passion for what we do. They see us working to deliver their dream home.” Clients also appreciate the company’s honesty and transparency, Kirsty says: “We believe in being honest with our clients. If there is an issue, we own it and we fix it.” “Communication is key,” she continues. “Good communication is key to building good relationships. If you can communicate well with your client, if they know what’s happening and when it’s happening, it’s going to be a much smoother process.” As a result of their personal service, honesty, and active communication, Brett Ward Homes has been able to build some really positive relationships with clients. Kirsty estimates that approximately 90 per cent of their work comes from repeat customers or referrals. “Referrals are our most effective form of marketing,” she says. “We’ve tried various MAY 2023

marketing strategies at various times throughout our history, and have found our customer service, attention to detail and producing beautiful homes for happy clients is our best marketing strategy.” That repeat work is also a testament to the quality that Brett Ward Homes delivers. Kirsty credits that quality to Brett – and also to Brett’s father, whom he grew up working for. “Brett grew up working for his father.Hedidhisapprenticeship, worked as a leading hand and head carpenter in his father’s business before establishing his own company. Brett’s father was always very particular about the way things were done. He was pedantic about quality. Brett has inherited those traits.” “Brett’s brother grew up in the same environment, and now we’ve trained our son the same way,” she adds. “We’ve taught him that the small things matter. If you can’t get the small things right, how are you going to ever get the big things right? We are very particular about making sure we get the small things right.” The company has also instilled the same values in their subcontractors, the majority of whom they have been working with for many years. Some of those relationships, Kirsty says, even predate the creation of Brett Ward Homes – she says Brett has been working with some trade partners since his time working for his father’s company. “We have great relationships with our subcontractors and trades. When we went out on our own, we took on a lot of Brett’s father’s trades, suppliers and sales reps. We’ve been working with some of our partners since before starting our own business.” Naturally, however, a lot of their original partners have retired over the years, and Brett Ward Homes has also had to build new relationships with subcontractors and trades. Kirsty says they have been successful at building those relationships because they are a company that “people love coming to work for.” “They know exactly where we stand. They know we have really high expectations of their work, and I think they really enjoy producing beautiful high quality homes. They know they don’t have to come back for defects and maintenance calls because we get it right the first time.” “We’ve been very fortunate throughout these past few years with suppliers and trades,” she adds. “Our loyalty to trades and suppliers has paid dividends and we have been able to get materials and tradesmen all thanks to the relationships we have cultivated over the last two decades.” THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRALIA

As a recent example of what Brett Ward Homes is capable of, Kirsty cites an “absolutely magnificent” three-storey home they completed early this year. They are particularly proud of that project because they built it throughout COVID, which presented a lot of challenges – but thanks to their relationships with suppliers and trade partners, they were able to overcome those challenges and deliver a result that both client and builder are very satisfied with. “The family that we built that for are just the loveliest family,” Kirsty says. “And we live in the same estate – on the same street, even – so I drive by it all the time. Every time I drive past it, I think ‘Oh my God, I’m so proud of that.’” Moving forward, the company’s goal is to deliver more high-end projects like that one throughout the Gold Coast, while also doing more modestly-scaled homes in communities like Beaudesert. By embracing the latter market, they believe they have given A lot of opportunity MAY 2023

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themselves a lot of opportunity to grow. “There are only so many multi-million dollar homes you can build per year before you start losing the quality control,” Kirsty explains. “That’s not acceptable to us, so we can only grow so much in that market – whereas with the smaller builds, we can build more while still maintaining a strong quality control process, so that’s where we think there is the opportunity to grow the business.” As for much of that opportunity they want to seize, that remains to be seen. To some extent, Kirsty says that will be up to their son, who is coming up through the business now. They hope he might take over the company eventually, and the family business will continue on. MAY 2023 QBCC No: 894 337 Smarter Termite Technology BUILDERS YOU CAN TRUST USE TERMIMESH TERMIMESH.COM.AU TERMI HOME & COMMERCIAL PROUD PARTNERS OF BRETT WARD HOMES CONTACT 07 3863 6400

THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRALIA For more on Brett Ward Homes, their services, their latest projects, and to hear from past clients – and to get in touch with Brett, Kirsty, and their team – visit https://goldcoastluxuryhomes.net.au/

Making the change

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Moonyah Group is a proudly Australian and Indigenousowned business that delivers a wide range of building services across Australia. With Moonyah Services, they operate on a national level delivering complete building and asset maintenance solutions to a variety of sectors. Their services are all backed by rigour business and safety processes, ensuring all activities are managed with confidence, transparency, and efficiency. With Moonyah Workforce, they provide recruitment, labour hire, and traffic controllers. They are dedicated to supplying quality personnel while solving the complexities around their clients’ reconciliation action plan requirements and contractual obligations. “We offer local-business service with big-business reach,” says Saia Fainga’a, who founded the company with his twin brother, Anthony. “We pride ourselves on matching the right people with the right projects to deliver the best outcomes for everyone involved. And though we operate nationally, we are a family run business and are committed to providing quality products with exceptional customer service.” Saia and Anthony are “very proud” Aboriginal men, whose grandmother was part of the stolen generation. They belong to the Mundalung mob from the north east coast of Australia. Prior to forming Moonyah Group, they were professional rugby players – and as athletes, they developed a culture and mindset they are now transitioning to the commercial sector. Since Saia and Anthony formed Moonyah Group in 2021, the company has grown extremely quickly. When they started, it was just the two of them. Roughly 18 months later, their team numbered approximately 380. The group’s services and capabilities evolved and expanded just as quickly. Today, on the Moonyah Services side, their offering is vast, and includes corporate THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRALIA

insurance, residential property maintenance services, commercial property fit out, refurbishment, new builds and other construction services within both the public and private sectors. The company also offers plumbing and electrical services, civil works, modular homes or site offices, project management, and client-side project management “We have a proven track record for delivering projects and services of varying sizes and complexity both on time and on budget,” Saia says. “We are accustomed to working within tight and inflexible deadlines, and we do so without compromising service delivery, quality, or design.” Moonyah Workforce, meanwhile, provides labour hire and recruitment and traffic management services. Their mission is to help Australians – particularly Indigenous Australians, but not only Indigenous Australians – to find opportunities in the workforce, and to help companies navigate the complexities around reconciliation action plans. In forming Moonyah Workforce, Saia and Anthony’s goal was to give workers “a sense of purpose and opportunity” – particularly workers who weren’t getting other opportunities because of either their circumstances or past mistakes. “We just wanted to help people,” Saia explains. “We wanted to help break the cycle that some people fall into. We wanted to help them make a change.” They also wanted to help their clients make a change, and help them find workers that were specifically suited to their needs. They wanted to introduce a recruitment process that “more than an anonymous form and some online training.” MAY 2023

“We don’t just run search queries through a giant database to fulfil orders,” Saia says. “Instead, we build long-term relationships with our workers. We visit our clients’ sites regularly and we understand the day-to-day challenges faced.” “We also understand that different projects need different types of people,” he adds. “It’s not just about ticking the boxes in terms of qualifications or experience. We also consider factors like culture fit to build teams that achieve strong results across diverse public and private projects.” “It’s all part of our commitment to fresh thinking and contemporary best practices in labour hire and recruitment.” Geographically, Moonyah Workforce works all across Australia. Their clients include multinationals, smaller private firms, and government enterprises. As an Indigenous company, they are particularly well suited to help clients with their reconciliation action plan requirements and spend goals, and they work closely with Indigenous Elders and Traditional land groups within the individual project’s local community. At the same time, as previously mentioned, their service isn’t limited to Indigenous Australians. “We do not discriminate,” Saia says. “Whether you’re Indigenous or not, we don’t discriminate. Yes, we are an Indigenous, but no we don’t only employ Indigenous people.” “We want to help people,” he reiterates, “and we know that everyone is hurting. We want to make sure we can help anyone. Anthony and I were discriminated against growing up, we know what it feels like, and we don’t want to discriminate against other THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRALIA

people. We want to make sure we run an inclusive business.” That inclusivity is reflected in the company’s name – ‘Moonyah’ means ‘safe house’ in Aboriginal language. From the perspective of job seekers, that inclusivity is a big part of what sets Moonyah Group apart. Another big factor is their approach to finding work, which is a lot different than a lot of other labour hire companies: “The stereotype of labour hire is that it’s day-to-day and people don’t know where they’re going or whether they’ll have a job tomorrow,” Saia says. “When we started Moonyah Workforce, we thought ‘Let’s change that. Let’s chase the work so that when people come to us, they’ll have work for three months, or six months.’ We wanted to provide long-term employment.” Workers also choose Moonyah because of their emphasis on training and professional development. One of their key partners, for example, is ACTA Group – which is an established Registered Training Organisation whose purpose as a company is to deliver their clients’ documented and improved training experiences. Their service is detailed and flexible, and they are able to manage all aspects of the training process to the highest standard available in the industry. Like Moonyah, they are wholly Australian-owned and operated. Because they invest so heavily in training – and because they so genuinely care about their workers and want to help them improve their lives – Moonyah is able to foster a workforce of dependable people, who turn up to site well-presented and equipped, and ready to work. That’s part of what sets Moonyah apart from the MAY 2023

perspective of employers. “We know and qualify our workers,” Saia explains. “If we present a candidate, you can bet they’re good to go. Our HR team know building and civil construction recruitment. Labour, trades, traffic control and more – our team turn up with the skills you need, when you need.” “Our team turn up well presented, on time with basic PPE supplied by us, ready to work,” he adds. “We’re surprised at how many clients comment on the presentation of our workers.” As a company, Moonyah is also regularly on site to anticipate their client’s needs and their worker’s requirements. They take of things such as medicals, fit testing, and safe work method statements – “that’s our job, so the client can focus on theirs,” Saia says. Moonyah also regularly produces task observation and verification of competency reports, which provide further peace of mind. Furthermore, Moonyah forms “real, long-term, face-to-face relationships with clients,” according to Saia As a result, they are able to gain a strong understanding of their specific needs and requirements and how to meet them. The key to forming those relationships, Saia believes, is communication and availability: “You need us, you call us,” he says. “Same goes for our team. We’re on site regularly to speak with project managers and foremen, to ensure the client, their project and our workers have everything they need to finish the job.” Building those relationships is also about being honest about their capabilities, Saia adds: “We have a policy in our office that if we’re not ready to take on THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRALIA

the work, we don’t take it on,” he says. “One thing that rugby taught us is that you only have one opportunity to perform. And if you don’t perform, you’re not going to get rehired. So we’ll only take on work if we’re prepared for it and know we can do a really good job.” Getting bigger and making a bigger impact In addition to Moonyah Services and Moonyah Workforce, Saia and Anthony are also the directors of Madji Indigenous Furniture – a company that supplies commercial furniture across Australia and New Zealand. Their high-quality furniture is manufactured in Brisbane and is upholstered with authentic Indigenous designs created by talented First Nations artists. Moving forward, Moonyah Group’s vision is to continue growing all of their brands. According to Saia, the potential for growth all around is enormous and they want do everything they can to seize it: “Our plan is to be listed on the stock exchange,” he says. “We want to be the first Indigenous company to be listed. That’s our goal. That’s what we want to do.” The reason they want to get bigger, Saia reiterates, is so they can make more of a difference. The bigger their company is and the more people they work with, the bigger the change they can make. “That’s what we’re all about – helping people to change their lives,” he concludes. “Our goal is to do that on the largest scale possible.” MAY 2023

THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRALIA For more on Moonyah Group, their companies, capabilities, and past projects – and to get in touch with Saia, Anthony, and their team – visit https://moonyah.com.au/ For more on Moonyah Workforce, in particular, visit https://moonyahworkforce.com.au/ And for more on Madji Indigenous Furniture, visit https://madji.com.au/

A one-stop-shop for developers

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THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRALIA

MAY 2023

Alroe Constructions is a luxury builder and developer that specialises in high-end multiresidential and mid-rise NDIS developments. Licensed in both NSW & QLD, they offer services between Byron Bay & the Sunny Coast, striving to de-risk their clients’ projects by offering a complete service solution. In order to provide that complete service, they utilise world-leading software, they plan projects out in detail from the start, and employ a large team of industry leading in-house carpenters and site managers. On every project, they seek to ensure that their high standards are always maintained. The leader of Alroe Constructions is founder and director Tye Alroe. He formed the company in 2012 with the vision of helping clients overcome their fear of building a new home. With that goal in mind, he designed and built the company from the ground up. Over the years, he has handpicked and developed an expert and reliable team, consisting of both in-house employees and subcontractors. He has made sure that everyone working under the ‘Alroe’ banner understands and shares his values. In the early years, Alroe Constructions focused on building high-end custom homes for individual clients. These days, their larger focus is now multi-residential projects – though their emphasis on quality workmanship and customer satisfaction hasn’t changed. “We’re extremely passionate about quality,” says Matt Nielsen, Sales & Marketing Director. “We won’t deliver anything we’re not proud of and prepared to stand behind. We feel like our projects are some of the best on the market.” Matt first worked with Tye Alroe as a client – his was the first house Alroe Constructions built in Kingscliff, just south of the Gold Coast. At the time, he was also looking to partner up with a builder to do some of THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRALIA

their own developments while Tye happened to be looking for a partner to help with his sales and marketing. Matt was impressed with the way Tye did business, and vice versa, so they decided to team up. The partnership has led to a lot of synergy, Matt explains: “We’re identifying and fulfilling a need that nobody else is really fulfilling. We engage with our developers from the very early stage of a project all the way through to handover.” “We help with site selection, we identify optimal site use, we do in-house design for DA and BA packages, and we do complete project management if necessary. We can provide full design-and-construct services and manage every step of the DA process whilst making sure the design fits the client’s feasibility budget.” Furthermore, Alroe Constructions can then assist with the full branding, marketing, and off-plan sales. “We can offer small-to-medium developers a level of service that they can’t really get anywhere else,” Matt says. “We take a lot of the headaches away from developers and we mitigate a lot of the risk.” “As we are developers ourselves, we know what our clients require – with our level of involvement and managing the process we are able to de-risk projects by mitigating unknowns. With building the devil is in the detail and how each step of the process is managed.” Most of Alroe Construction’s projects are now mid-to-highend multi residential projects. In particular, they identified a local demand for “luxury fourpacks, six-packs, and eightpacks.” MAY 2023

“We have carved out that niche,” Matt says. “In that sector, we’re now considered one of the industry leaders along the Gold Coast, northern New South Wales, and Brisbane.” Matt credits Alroe Constructions’ rapid growth in that sector to their “complete service solution.” He says that complete service extremely valuable to small-to-medium developers, because many of them are “time poor.” Finding and hiring individual consultants at every phase of a development can be extremely time-consuming, but when they work with Alroe they only ever have to deal with one point of contact. “If you’re a local developer and you’re busy, we can take a lot of work off your plate,” Matt says. “Our goal is not just to work with a client one time,” he adds. “Our goal is to build long-term, sustainable relationships. We want to deliver an exceptional service and an exceptional product, and we want our clients to achieve their objectives.” Already, Matt says that Alroe Constructions has built repeat relationships with about 10 core developers. They work with those developers on multiple sites per year. Some are now on their seventh or eighth builds with Alroe. “Developing those long, ongoing relationships is of paramount importance to us,” Matt says. “We want our clients to be successful, because that’s when we’re successful.” Again, Matt credits that loyalty and success to the depth of Alroe Constructions’ service offering – but he also says the quality of their builds goes a long way. He credits that quality, in turn, to the company’s commitment to continuous improvement. “We’ve been doing this for a long time,” he says. “We haven’t always been perfect, and I don’t think we ever will be – because when you start thinking your perfect, that’s when you stop trying to improve. That’s when complacency slips in. We don’t ever want that to happen, we want to always be pushing ourselves.” For example, to keep themselves in check, Alroe Constructions brings on a third-party company to inspect every single project prior to handover. They’ll run their own independent check and deliver their own independent report, and if they notice any defects or deficiencies, the team at Alroe will make sure they are resolved before the client sees them. That’s not to say that Alroe’s own team is anything less than diligent. In fact, company employs an accomplished roster of site supervisors and direct trades, so they can perform a lot of work in-house, and for the work they can’t perform directly, they rely on a trusted team of tried-andproven subcontractors they have been working with for many years. “They know that we’ve got a long pipeline full of work, and they know they have to perform to a high standard,” Matt says. “And we’ve grown alongside them. As our business has grown, so has theirs. We want them to be successful, just like our clients.” YDL Stone is an example of a longstanding partner. They are a family-owned company that specializes in the manufacturing and exporting of various stones to the local and overseas market. Over the years, they have also expanded to supply cabinets and tapeware, and they have become a one-stop-shop solution for interior decoration. What sets them apart is their commitment to people and customer relationships – which is exactly what Alroe looks for in their partners. THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRALIA

Over the last couple years, the majority of Alroe Constructions’ projects have been luxury fourpacks, six-packs, and eightpacks. Those builds are still important to the company’s business, Matt says, however they are also expanding into taller buildings and even some mixed-use projects. For example, they are currently providing both design and construction services for two 14-storey projects. On one of those high-rises, the first eight storeys will be specialist disability accommodation (SDA) dwellings funded by the NDIS, while the above floors will include sub penthouses and penthouse units and rooftop amenities. The other high-rise will comprise 20 units. Moving forward, Alroe Constructions’ goal is to do more of those kinds of projects – meaning, they want to do more residential high-rises, NDIS projects, child care facilities and offices, and also more designand-construct (D&C) contracts. Matt says they are currently Extremely excited MAY 2023

THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRALIA

optimizing that offering: “With our D&C, we feel that we really have the ability to deliver amazing benefits to our development partners, both new and existing.” The company also intends to grow – which they have been already doing at a steady pace, especially in recent years. Seven years ago, for example, they had five employees. Today, they have over 60, and that number is expected to keep rising as long as they can find the right people. They currently have 11 multi-residential sites under construction and their pipeline is strong for the foreseeable future. “We’re extremely excited about growing,” Matt concludes. “We’re excited about where we’re positioned, we’re excited about the product and service we’re providing, and we’re happy about the team we’ve put together – we feel like we’re all part of this together, and that’s a great feeling. The future’s looking really bright for us.” MAY 2023

THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRALIA For more on Alroe Constructions, their team, their projects, and their commitment to quality, visit https://www.alroeconstructions.com.au/

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