2016 LAING O’ROURKE AUSTRALIAN CONSTRUCTION ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

TECHNICAL PAPER LAING O’ROURKE MOOREBANK UNITS RELOCATION PROJECT

LAING O’ROURKE IS A $7 BILLION INTERNATIONAL ENGINEERING ENTERPRISE, FOUNDED ON MORE THAN 170 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.

With 50 years of involvement In 2011 Laing O’Rourke was engaged in Australian construction and by the Department of Defence as the infrastructure – including a decade Managing Contractor for the Moorebank under the Laing O’Rourke banner, Laing Units Relocation project – the largest O’Rourke has played an instrumental single site Australian Defence capital role in the the delivery of major works project since World War II. infrastructure projects for clients in As Managing Contractor, Laing O’Rourke the defence, transport, oil and gas, was responsible for the complete resources, health, commercial and relocation of Defence facilities and industrial sectors. assets from a 190 hectare site Laing O’Rourke specialises in the at Moorebank to a 110 hectare planning and delivery of defence site at Holsworthy Barracks. infrastructure projects in Australia and was listed as one of the ADM Top 40 Defence Contractors for 2015. The organisation is currently engaged in the delivery of a number of major projects for the Department of Defence in Queensland, , and Western Australia. Laing O’Rourke’s innovative approach to project and supply chain management, high-security delivery methods and detailed stakeholder management ensured the successful delivery of this project.

Moorebank Units Relocation Project KEY PROJECT PARAMETERS

Outcomes achieved against planned targets for key project parameters

The precinct approach ensured the (DE) and Design for Manufacturing Australia’s military capability and delay efficient management of all aspects of and Assembly (DfMA) were also major the progression of the planned freight the design and construction phase. The contributing factors to its success. infrastructure project on the Moorebank sheer scale of the project meant that site, and as such Laing O’Rourke The successful completion of the project without the precinct model, the risk of had contingencies in place for every was reliant on precision planning with delay or inflated costs were too high. possible scenario to ensure the client’s clear targets and strict key performance requirements were met. The delivery of this project was fast indicators (KPIs) and milestones set paced and spread over two large throughout the delivery phase. geographical areas, as such the Absolute assurance of programme was replication delivered through Laing paramount as any delays could impede O’Rourke’s use of Digital Engineering

The Moorebank Units Relocation project was delivered on time and under budget for a client that sees the project as the benchmark for delivering all major construction and engineering schemes in the future. A large contributor to Laing O’Rourke’s successful delivery of the Moorebank Units Relocation project was the strategic decision to split the delivery into six precincts: • Holsworthy Barracks Entry Precinct • School of Military Engineering (SME) • Living in accommodation • Liverpool Military Area, Gym, Pool & Mess Area • 5 Brigade & Training • Infrastructure / Enabling Works SAFETY

Laing O’Rourke strives to create a culture of world-class safety through visible leadership, clear expectations, streamlined systems standards and robust risk assessment.

Our approach to health and safety Laing O’Rourke’s commitment to safety Laing O’Rourke’s Safety in Design (SiD) is based on the idea of personal was demonstrated with the site-wide system was also implemented on MUR commitment and empowerment. roll-out of Mission Zero behavioural during the planning phase (design We believe everyone has a right to safety training and SafeSpine training development). This system makes clear be involved in safety decision making (focusing on musculoskeletal safety) for the health and safety responsibilities that enables them and those around all employees, supply chain members that must be managed and monitored by them to return home safely every day. and client representatives as part of consultants and designers working for However, ultimate accountability for the their induction. Laing O’Rourke, directly or indirectly, and safety and wellbeing of our workforce sets out a consistent process for safety rests with our senior executives, who in design. uphold their obligations through a Under SiD it was a requirement that all resolute commitment that includes consultants and designers were issued the active management of our health with a copy of the SiD Guidelines and and safety agenda. the “10-Steps to Health and Safety Throughout the delivery of MUR, Management”. Laing O’Rourke introduced a number of The “10-Steps to Health and Safety programmes, processes and procedures Management” sets out a range of to ensure the safe delivery of the project. minimum standards consultants and designers must adhere to at every Mission Zero and other level of a project, from organisation to safety programmes planning and measurement through to Mission Zero was audit and review. Laing O’Rourke’s It was a pre-requisite for any consultant behavioural safety or designer to sign up and express their campaign which full support, and that of their company, significantly reduced to these standards before they were our DIFR (Disabling appointed by Laing O’Rourke. Incident Frequency Rate, a measure of incidents recorded in every one million hours worked) from 15.2 at the programme launch in 2011 to 2.8 in early 2015. 4,400,000 Number of hours worked by the team, including subcontractors.

Workplace Tragedy – relation to safety, quality and A family support group environmental management. During the delivery of the project, two The key elements of our approach to representatives from Workplace Tragedy, the management of subcontractors and a family support group, visited site and suppliers were: presented to around 1,200 members of • F ocus on the engagement of reliable, the workforce. The project management trusted and performance-oriented This organisation represents families is incredibly innovative subcontractors and a materials who have lost loved ones in the supply chain to provide certainty and NSW construction industry, and they in their techniques, and confidence in achieving programme visited our site to deliver an important have developed a health milestones and quality standards presentation about the long lasting grief and safety culture that • Subcontr actors were selected using and long-term impacts of workplace is second to none I have rigorous criteria to ensure they met incidents. Following their presentation, ever seen in the last 7 Laing O’Rourke’s high standards of the organisation’s Secretary, Wendy safety performance, environmental Lark, sent a letter to Laing O’Rourke’s years. performance and quality control Global Chairman Ray O’Rourke • A ll subcontractor personnel were congratulating him on the outstanding Wendy Lark, Secretary/Facilitator Workplace Tragedy subject to Verification of Competency safety systems and culture they assessment, site-specific inductions observed on site. importantly started a critical dialogue and, where necessary, site-specific training to ensure they were suitably Engagement of subcontractors between the client, Laing O’Rourke and our delivery partners. trained for the specific tasks and and suppliers environment found on the project At the beginning of the project Laing There were 300 subcontractors engaged • Supervision and coordination of O’Rourke held an Industry Briefing and in the delivery of MUR, including other subcontractor’s activities onsite more than 500 representatives of local Tier 1 construction companies. by the relevant Project Engineers, industry attended. The briefing provided We implemented a rigorous approach Foremen and the Senior Construction subcontractors and suppliers with vital to the selection, engagement and Manager. information about how the project would onsite management of subcontractors be delivered, how and when packages to ensure the high standards of Laing would be released to tender and O’Rourke were maintained in By employing the DfMA approach, Laing O’Rourke was able to eliminate inefficient processes and maintain greater control over the project’s risks.

The senior management from each A model representing the site conditions Design for Manufacture and contractor engaged on the project met during specific work activities was Assembly (D fMA) directly with Laing O’Rourke’s project developed to visually communicate leadership team at the award each of the safety risks identified in the To minimise risk on-site Laing O’Rourke of contract to: Project Risk Assessment. Outputs were adopted designs which relied on off-site generated to support the Precinct Site manufacture including precast concrete • Review and agree on the projects Induction briefings. and structural steel, 250 bathroom safety requirements. pods, curtain walls, ceiling panels and • Go over the findings from the Outputs generated from the model prefabricated service components. supply chain audit and agree on visually communicated safety risks any actions arising. in context of the site and surrounding The success of the constructability and improved safety and quality on • Develop a safety quote / charter construction activities. New starters for the project, to be displayed in the training centre The most senior manager from each subcontractor attended Laing O’Rourke’s Mission Zero behavioural training with their workforce and participated in Laing O’Rourke leadership engagement programme. This created an environment where people understood each other’s values and behaviours, created a relationship from the outset that allowed the diverse businesses and personnel to work toward a common goal.

Digital Engineering were instantly familiarised with site MUR are now benchmarks for other conditions and more effectively informed Laing O’Rourke projects. Prefabricated Digital Engineering enabled the project’s of the potential safety hazards prior to building options reduce the risk of OH&S safety risks to be more effectively commencing works. issues by reducing the number of hours communicated to the site team and required on site and increasing the enhanced the awareness of health and Our approach provided enhanced visual quality of the product. safety to all site personnel. communication of site safety risks at Precinct Site Induction briefings. At the beginning of the project, the team opted to use Laing O’Rourke’s enhance Digital Engineering expertise to provide clear visual outputs demonstrating the health and safety risks associated with activities on site as identified in the Project Risk Assessment. TIME

To facilitate the fast-track construction programme Laing O’Rourke utilised a number of innovative management and delivery techniques.

The Commonwealth Government had to virtually demonstrate the planned Managing a fast-tracked design set a firm deadline of June 2015 for construction sequence. The design included 80 buildings and completion to ensure it could progress Each month, the Planning team synched structures designed to a fast-tracked the delivery of a new intermodal terminal live information from Primavera 6 programme. Digital Engineering and on the vacated Moorebank site. Laing with the 4D model, allowing both the standardised detailing was used to O’Rourke completed the project ahead planned and actual works to be visually support the process. of schedule in April 2015, providing the monitored. client with a three month contingency in To facilitate the fast-tracked delivery and its overall delivery timeframe. This allowed the project team to rapidly minimise labour on-site, designs were understand the program status and adopted which relied heavily on off-site A clear vision from the beginning of the instantly highlight deviations from the manufacture. These included precast, process, an understanding of the client’s planned programme methodology to structural steel, bathroom pods and needs and our internal approach to better assess and evaluate forecast prefabricated services components. uncovering innovative solutions, ensured works. that target milestones were not only met BIM was also used extensively for but beaten on many occasions. clash detection (in 3D), construction There were eight sequencing (in 4D) and cost planning The first buildings due for completion (in 5D). Over 400 individual BIM models were the Defence Support Operations, staged completion were created, fully documenting the Defence Community Organisation, Cadets’ dates throughout the project in Revit 3D and providing Defence Facilities and Cadets’ Q Store – all part project, seven of which with a facilities management tool of the Front Entry Precinct of the wider were linked to KPI (Ecodomus) to be used after completion. Moorebank Units Relocation scheme. They were handed over two months ahead of incentive payments. As a large project being delivered schedule. This allowed the Department Laing O’Rourke met all simultaneously on multiple fronts, of Defence a flexible approach to the nominated contractual several subcontractors for one trade transitioning of Defence personnel. dates. discipline were also established. The standardisation of components Anzac Day Clear visual outputs supporting the ensures commonality of construction between the precincts. At one stage The project delivery team worked around Planning Team’s assessment of works during delivery, there were 96 separate the clock to ensure the relocation of the at Program and Contract Reviews, and components of the project being Obelisk, a relocated heritage memorial allowing the wider team an instant visual delivered concurrently to ensure from the School of Military Engineering, understanding of programme status. maximisation of time and cost. was complete and the surrounding area One problem that was resolved using finished and ready for the Anzac Day the BIM and digital engineering was the A major component of the project Dawn Service in 2015, to mark the 100th early detection of a clashed service. In involved the relocation of the School anniversary of the Gallipoli landing. the planning phase it was discovered of Military Engineering (SME) precinct. The new precinct provides a TAFE-style More than 1200 people attended by the consultants and the construction campus for military engineering training the service on the day, including 86 team that the kitchen exhaust ductwork within . representatives from Laing O’Rourke. would clash with the steel brace. The team redesigned the bracing for The relocation of the SME was Communication of Planned vs Actual that particular bay of structural steel to completed within six weeks. Laing progress via 4D Models allow the kitchen exhaust ductwork to O’Rourke worked closely with the client to ensure the school did not lose any A 4D model was utilised to reflect actual be installed without any clash or other training days during the relocation and progress of works completed against trades in the way. This solution saved has since been able to achieve greater planned, allowing the team to better time on site, saved re-working of any efficiency in the training deliverables in evaluate the impact of changes to the structural steel on site as the problem the new efficient facilities. programme methodology. The model was found on the drafting table some was developed in Navisworks with six months before the problem would the planning team’s Program to Build have been discovered in the field. COST

Cost certainty throughout the project was high with the project spending well ahead of forecast cash flows, giving Defence the ability to manage their cash flow effectively.

Laing O’Rourke, as Managing Contractor, Value engineering the engagement of key specialists was responsible for the project from in the field to ensure the project Value engineering was conducted concept to completion. We worked met the stringent and rigorous through design workshops, user closely with the Department of Defence requirements of Defence and at all consultation and engagement with throughout the departmental and stages represented value for money to specialists who produced a revised parliamentary approval phases to the Commonwealth, ultimately being building design for the new museum demonstrate value for money and delivered well under budget. building that was signed off by users. secure the necessary public funding. The building was reduced from Design From the outset, the delivery team 13,000m² to 6,200m² and the build cost used the digital engineering models to The process involved staged design from $33 million to $20.2 million, saving develop 4D sequences, providing greater submissions for all components of the the client considerable money. cost certainty and transparency. project and presentations at 5 per cent, 30 percent, 50 percent, 90 percent and Laing O’Rourke adopted an integrated 100 percent completion to users and approach to design in the Planning stakeholders to ensure scrutiny of the Phase that focused on optimising cost plan to ensure value for money for constructability and value for money for the Commonwealth. Defence. The construction programme was also The team completed 90 per cent developed during the design stage to Detailed Design for more than 80 ensure appropriate staging and minimal separate facilities in approximately The project reached disruption to the army’s activities. The 14 months. They also facilitated a peak spend of $45 result was the delivery of exceptional the expedient procurement of trade million per month or value for money for the client. contractors in the Delivery Phase. This was heralded as an extraordinary $1.6 million per day achievement by the client. and at completion was delivered $50 million Communication of Planned vs Actual under budget. progress via 4D Models A 4D model was utilised to reflect actual Value for money is a key driver for the progress of works completed against commonwealth, Laing O’Rourke, at all planned, allowing the team to better stages through the design and into the evaluate the impact of changes to the construction process, evaluated and programme methodology. analysed the approach through bench Each month, the Planning team synched mark data, previous performance and live information from Primavera 6 with the 4D model, allowing both the planned and actual works to be visually monitored. This allowed the project team to rapidly understand the program status and instantly highlight deviations from the planned programme methodology to better assess and evaluate forecast works. QUALITY

Laing O’Rourke has an established The tablets were used for task • Ensur e that the needs and Quality Assurance (QA) system currently completion checklists, project expectations of the client are met as part of the company’s overall information, task scheduling and • Ensur e that the project meets Business Management System, which is issues tracking. This ensured a more the quality requirements including maintained and regularly independently streamlined and less bureaucratic ISO 9001:2015 certified by SAI Global Certification management system on site. • Pr ovide a link between iGate and Services Pty Limited. Laing O’Rourke’s We were also responsible for project specific requirements system has been continually certified establishing the procurement strategy • Pr ovide an overview of the quality to the quality management system for the project. To facilitate high- practices, procedures and guidelines standard since 1991. quality work, we ensured that off-site to be adopted and implemented on It has been designed to control the manufacturing for precast concrete, the project. activities critical to the successful structural steel, bathroom pods and completion of all work. It defines prefabricated services components was The PBP addresses the following issues: the policies and procedures for the central to our design. • Or ganisation, authorities and successful execution of our activities Laing O’Rourke operates an integrated responsibilities from estimating, tendering, procurement, document management system on the • Client requirements quality and design, through to project company intranet, iGate, which sets the completion. • Pr oject objectives and planning minimum operational requirements for • Purchasing and subcontract work Laing O’Rourke developed the overall all employees. iGate contains procedures • Manufactur e, fabrication and Quality Management System that and guidelines (which provide a more construction processes was implemented across the site and detailed explanation of the process). ensured all works delivered by suppliers • Human resources, induction The key Laing O’Rourke document and subcontractors met quality and training produced in the suite of QA requirements. • Plant and equipment resources documentation for each project is the • R eporting, meetings and recording Our Project Engineers were also able to Project Business Plan (PBP). The PBP is access our Digital Engineering model prepared at the outset of a project, and is • Document , data and records control via iPads to manage quality in real time reviewed and authorised by the Project • Commercial administration. – ensuring any quality issues were dealt Leader. The purpose of the PBP is to: with in a timely manner. ENVIRONMENT

During delivery of the project 54,400m³ or 98,000 tonnes of asbestos was encountered, all of which was managed expertly on site with encapsulation with no environmental infringements.

Laing O’Rourke’s goal is to minimise the negative impacts of our operations and maximise the quality of the built environment for future generations.

Asbestos contaminated soil was was monitored for air quality and off-site outcomes for the life of the project discovered during bulk earthworks contamination. No issues were identified. and for the future. These include the within the Front Entry precinct. establishment of series of sediment Across the six precincts there was also basins throughout the site for the When discovered, work at the site 160,000m³ of sandstone unearthed, capture of stormwater and the retention stopped and an investigation was processed and re-used on site as of silt. The water was later used for dust undertaken. A hygienist was engaged to training media for future Defence suppression and for watering retained assess the extent of the contamination activities negating the requirement for stands of vegetation. and retained to assist with the imported quarry materials excavation, transport, storage and Also, a biodiversity offset strategy disposal of the contaminated soil. Delivery of the Infrastructure / Enabling was implemented, involving the Works precinct involved the demolition establishment of a secure 90ha area of To minimise the impact on construction, and clearing of the entire site in a native vegetation, within the Holsworthy a temporary location for the material staged manner which included service base, to ensure its longevity and to was established within the MUR site and diversions for the incoming gas and prevent inappropriate uses that could the material transported to that location telecommunications network, services lead to the degradation of the area before final placement at the nominated isolation and terminations of the and prevent it from being available for disposal area. previous Defence assets. future generations. The material was covered with There was a precise planned The project completion works include geofabric and the whole area fenced hazardous material removal from a comprehensive landscape and and appropriate signage erected. After each of the buildings and also areas of revegetation strategy designed to the material was transported to the decontamination around the site. enhance existing facilities and to temporary location the area where the complement the built environment of the asbestos contamination was found was MUR was designed to achieve a 4 Star new facilities. The design also included assessed and certified as being clear, Green Star and 4 Star NABERS ratings a significant and project-wide water allowing enabling works to continue in line with Department of Defence recycling facility that provides recycled to completion. project brief. water for toilet flushing, landscape While the material was in its temporary The project includes a range of initiatives irrigation and vehicle washing. location the site and surrounding area to provide positive environmental STAKEHOLDER SATISFACTION

With more than 3,000 military personnel continuing to use the base during construction, stakeholder satisfaction was vital.

Laing O’Rourke works with all project personal advocate of Laing O’Rourke’s the building systems and information stakeholders in a transparent and “Build twice – once virtually” mantra. with live facilities management feeds. collaborative way to ensure construction The pilot was initiated and funded Using Digital Engineering (DE), Laing impacts are minimised, project by Laing O’Rourke in order to gain a O’Rourke also delivered a superior layout information is readily available and better understanding of the technology at Holsworthy Barracks, providing a community input is sought at appropriate available. seamless interface between the new project milestones. Our approach is buildings, increased training capability The trial demonstrated how beneficial tailored to each project in order to meet and cutting travel time between buildings it can be for a building’s design to look the specific needs of the community in by up to an hour a week for soldiers ahead, particularly in producing informed which we are working. training at the base. hand-over and take-over documentation This large and complex project had many for buildings and their systems. In additional community stakeholders the future, the Department’s policy who had to be led through the design As a consequence information around tendering new works and approvals process to ensure their of the bespoke will be informed by the need for accurate support. We appointed a community communications and consistent asset registration. liaison specialist to map the stakeholder Laing O’Rourke has continued this engagement process and develop strategy, there were relationship with the Department of information from the design and no public objections Defence to further develop its asset construction teams for presentation to the Construction management approach – incorporating to the community. This ensured we Management Plan the entire base within a seven managed any issues that arose and took dimensional building information a proactive approach to understanding Laing O’Rourke implemented Digital model (three physical dimensions, community concerns and developing Engineering and innovation on the project plus time, cost, energy and facilities solutions. to provide a number of added benefits management) and has been To accommodate budgetary constraints for Defence, including: commissioned to examine the feasibility while still delivering the same capability, of using digital engineering to manage • Better outcomes through a detailed analysis of user and the client’s activities more broadly. collaboration stakeholder needs was undertaken and functional areas consolidated to share • Improved predictability and facilities where practical. reduced error rates • Improved buildability At many stages throughout the delivery • Improved efficiency in delivery of MUR, Laing O’Rourke received praise from the client, the Department of • Reduced waste; and Defence. • Enhanced safety While presenting at the 2nd Annual The use of DE has also left Defence with Defence Support Services Summit in a digital model of the entire base and a Canberra, former Australian Defence project workforce trained in the use of Force Brigadier Darren Naumann – who BIM technology and now responsible was responsible for the capital works for leading its adoption on other Federal and procurement functions for Defence, Government projects. was discussing ways to improve During construction, Laing O’Rourke also outcomes for the Department and trialled the development of a combined what it expects of contractors. asset model for the mess, gym and During the presentation, he praised Laing pool building. This involved augmenting O’Rourke’s use of Digital Engineering the existing digital engineering model, on the project saying he had become a through specialist software to link HERITAGE

From the outset of work on MUR, Laing O’Rourke had a commitment to preserving the important Defence heritage on the old Moorebank site and restoring respectfully on the new Holsworthy base.

The multi-denominational chapel is The nature of some of those items The uplifting and relocation of five beautiful building with key historical demanded specialised attention and historical bridges was another important significance. The existing sandstone as such some multi-level spaces, and section of work successfully completed. military chapel in the grounds of Steele in some cases humidified spaces were The work was planned with precision Barracks at Moorebank was dismantled created to deal with the more sensitive and completed in a single weekend. block by block and re-used in the new artefacts. Using cranes, flat-bed trucks with wide chapel at Holsworthy. load capability, the five iconic bridges Specialist consultants and removal and were relocated and now serve as an The relocation of the museum was the ‘lift-and-shift’ companies were engaged important training apparatus. largest relocation of a museum in the to collect and sift through the artefacts Southern Hemisphere in history. The to complete the working museum. 6,000 square metre Military Engineering Another complex and historically Heritage Learning Centre (MEHLC) was important task completed was the designed to display the equipment, tools, relocation of a 45-year-old C-130 documents and stories of the Royal Hercules military aircraft. Australian Engineers since its inception in 1902. This particular Hercules has been both a base landmark and a piece of Australia’s The MEHLC contained approximately military history, serving the RAAF 200,000 artefacts ranging from between 1969 and 2000, flying countless equipment that engineers have used operations until it was honourably in various wars and conflicts over the discharged and displayed within years such as Centurian tanks, rail the grounds at Moorebank more carriages and excavators, along with than a decade ago. smaller items like medals and photos.

The Hercules now serves as an important tool in the training of Military personnel. SUSTAINABILITY

The MUR project is a fantastic example of best practice for Defence buildings in relation to sustainable design principles and strategy for energy and water management.

Laing O’Rourke had a clear plan for Widespread consultation with end users Environmental Sustainable Design and to embedding sustainability into the was carried out to help derive the best best practise principles for sustainable delivery and operation of the project. Our strategy for the building control systems design have been incorporated into the approach was guided by a commitment and to assist with understanding how design and construction of each of the to set new standards in environmental, to drive behaviour changes towards buildings at MUR to reduce their energy social and economic sustainability on the use of air conditioning and lighting and water consumption as well as their a whole-of-life basis. This commitment systems. waste generation. was delivered through a robust system There were a number of client The project has also been benchmarked that integrates sustainability throughout presentations and meetings with the according to National and International design, construction and use of the end Defence Sustainability Managers and best practise energy targets for aquatic product, with a rigorous system for Support staff to develop with them a centres, catering facilities and museums. tracking progress on targets, and driving system to feed into a National Defence innovation and corrective action. And as outlined above, all office Energy and Water Management buildings have been designed to achieve A number of key targets were set and System as well as a MUR specific a minimum 4.5 Star NABERS tenancy achieved. A key target was to embed Energy Management System (EMS) and base building energy ratings as sustainability policy goals into all design to allow for the ability to provide for applicable and to meet the EEGO (Energy and construction processes. Digital continuous performance monitoring and Efficiency Government Offices) targets. Engineering and DfMA were utilised further improvements once the site is throughout the life of the project to operational. reduce man hours, traffic movements, and service clashes.

The following sustainable initiatives were achieved within the design and delivery of the MUR project:

1. Passive Design Principles: louvres have been utilised to provide products with low or no formaldehyde For this project the passive design wind driven cross flow ventilation as content have been specified to limit the approach was utilised to maximise the a result of the pressure differential amount of off gassing of these materials energy efficiency of the buildings from between openings. during and after their installation. High efficiency outside air filtration has the beginning which was an innovative 3. Daylighting: approach to the precinct planning. been specified to capture air borne Early in the design phase the team contaminants and a maintenance A macro climatic analysis of the initiated daylighting analysis for scheme will be put in place to clean/ Holsworthy Barracks site was used different glazing configurations to replace filters regularly. to influence the design of the new assist with optimising the daylight buildings. To capture the benefits of the penetration; options for light shelves 5. Embodied Energy: cooler summer winds from the north were explored for assessing methods Embodied energy calculations were east and south directions buildings to provide deeper daylight penetration. undertaken to determine the Whole of have been orientated to allow cross The studies justified the use of photo- Life impact of potential construction ventilation to provide cooling during the electric switches for light dimming as materials across the project and afternoon, therefore enabling a mixed the analysis showed sufficient daylight recommendations made for materials mode air-conditioning strategy which would be available at the perimeter with the lowest environmental impact. has been incorporated within the design. zones. Light weight modular panel walls were found to have low embodied energy 2. Natural Ventilation: 4. Internal Air Quality: as well as low cost. For example, the The majority of the industrial buildings The quality of the air in buildings has an use of pre- cast concrete on the MUR have been designed to aid natural impact on the health and productivity project has helped to reduce the impact ventilation and oriented with their of occupants. In order to maximise of emissions from embodied energy, long elevations facing north/south. the quality of the air finishes with low compared to conventional in situ Strategically located high and low level VOC content and engineered wood concrete.

COMPLEXITY DIFFICULTY AND OPTIMISATION

THE SHEER SCALE OF THE LOGISTICS INVOLVED IN DELIVERING MUR ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS IS HARD TO COMPARE TO ANY OTHER PROJECT DELIVERED IN AUSTRALIA IN RECENT MEMORY.

There wasn’t time to do things twice, so was required, the use of the logistics we built the project twice, once virtually centre allowed our logistics team to and then once in reality, and stressed inspect deliveries for compliance, ensure to designers and contractors that all point of destination and clear security. bugs must be ironed out through digital We understood Defence’s need to engineering, so we could plan properly, keep the construction works separate procure early, manufacture off-site and from the operational base. To avoid then erect on-site construction vehicular traffic driving To further mitigate the impact of through the existing operational construction on base operations, base (via the secondary or primary we developed a remote Logistics vehicle check points), we created a Management Centre, where all deliveries temporary construction access point to the five distinct precincts are received, at the Heathcote Road intersection at marshalled, assessed and released to The Avenue. This access point and the the correct location within the 110ha site Logistics Management Centre ensured area. that 95 percent of all construction works were segregated from Defence Effective logistics management was operations, which in turn ensured we key to project’s success, with the sheer met Defence’s objectives of no training scale of the project and the numbers of or operational requirements of Defence personnel and materials required for the personnel being affected during the project meaning that precise planning course of the works. • More than 9,000 workers inducted on site • 300 subcontractors engaged – including other Tier 1 construction companies • 300 separate deliveries received per day • P eak spend of $1.6 million per day • 3,000 Military personnel continued to use the base during construction • 250 modular bathroom pods installed In addition, the company’s in-house logistics management software system – Juggler – incorporates the needs of all project subcontractors and suppliers.

On the Infrastructure/Enabling Works water, non-potable cold water, fire-main Following the installation of the in- precinct (the sixth precinct, covering and gas-main pipework. ground infrastructure, the roads, the entire site), which involved the car-parks and various other pavements Pit and conduit networks for low-voltage, demolition and clearing of the entire site were constructed comprising 20km street-lighting and communications in a staged manner, up to 750,000m³ of kerb and gutter with 100,000m² of were also installed. Further to this, of bulk earthworks material formed the asphalt in addition to the heavy duty 160km of cable was installed consisting cut / fill operations, and as part of this concrete and block-paved areas. of low voltage sub-mains, street-lighting, operation, the construction of working communications cabling and direct As part of the finalisation the areas platforms for each of the buildings buried high-voltage cabling. outside of buildings, the landscaping to were constructed. the entire project was also completed by A number of earth retaining structures Succeeding the earthworks was the the precinct delivery team and included were also constructed including a construction of over 100km of in-ground all concrete footpaths, access stairs, proprietary mass-filled block wall that services including the installation various planter areas and many different provided 200,000m³ of sandstone media of pit and pipe networks for sewer species of trees, shrubs and turf as a plant training area for the School of and stormwater services inclusive of installation to the vast area of the site. Military Engineering. improvement devices, potable cold

Outside of the base a new signalised entry was constructed to NSW Roads and Maritime Services standards creating a new point of access from the main exterior road. In order to create a team and an environment to set the pace required for success, whilst maintain the feel on ‘one project’ the precinct approach was a must

Security programmes, were used to inform Interface management overall construction logic and durations Maintaining the integrity of the security There were many important interfaces for each building. of Holsworthy Barracks was a critical to be managed throughout the life of requirement, whilst also ensuring The staged delivery approach allowed the project - from Military personnel minimal disruption to the operating base. flexibility in planning and execution continuing to use the base on a daily should change occur, as experienced basis, to a childcare centre on site, Laing O’Rourke’s design team was with the asbestos finds in the ground, Federal and State government agencies, required to provide temporary access having the ability to transfer workforce subcontractors, to suppliers and local for construction workers and deliveries into other areas of the project and community groups. and to make sure that wherever continue at the same pace, achieving the possible, the project works could be As Managing Contractor, Laing O’Rourke monthly KPI’s and allowing the overall totally segregated from the main base. was responsible for the cohesive project objective to be met. management of the needs of all of The significance of carrying out The staged delivery model allowed us these important groups and ensuring a major infrastructure work in a live to keep a sharp focus on the project’s seamless methodology between them military environment is an important critical path and ensured there were all. consideration. The security contingencies in place for any issues requirements on site meant our team Given the six precinct approach to the that arose. had to be in constant communication delivery of the construction phase, there with the Department of Defence and was a need for the careful management Designing out complexity work with them to adapt our approach and integration of multiple interfaces and ensure the security of the base, The design included nine separate throughout. and the safety of the workforce. buildings to be designed to a fast-track Management of subcontractors program. To achieve this, our designers performing services relocation, Staged delivery used Digital Engineering including demolition and site clearing, including BIM and standardised detailing for the Staging the delivery across six precincts remediation works, bulk and detailed buildings. This repetition enabled the and managing concurrent works earthworks; new services works design team to concentrate on only two ensured the programme schedule including water, non-potable and building types – permanent and training. could be met. potable; fire mains; electrical HV and To facilitate the fast-track construction LV; sewer; communications and other The use of Digital Engineering allowed program and minimise labour on- utilities; and subsequent building works. for the development of a 3D model site, we adopted designs that relied that incorporated the building works, There was also a requirement to heavily on off-site manufacture. These in-ground infrastructure services, road manage the relocation of important included precast concrete, structural works and civil surface profile. The heritage structures with a number steel, bathroom pods and prefabricated model assisted in the planning and of relevant authorities. This included services components such as fire hose coordination of interface works. European and Aboriginal artefact finds. reels and stands. Detailed 4D models of typical building sections, linked to live construction LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT OF THE PROJECT DELIVERY

A KEY REQUIREMENT OF LAING O’ROURKE’S MANAGING CONTRACTOR ROLE WAS ENSURING PROJECT OBJECTIVES ARE DELIVERED.

As this project is the largest training compound – to an area reserved phase, with all government milestones concentrated construction effort by for training explosive detection dogs. One met and exceeded. This delivered a Defence in Australia, Laing O’Rourke of the largest facilities is a 58,000m2 clear, efficient and buildable solution worked from the outset to understand plant training area, complete with that gained government approval the key project drivers and embed these watchtowers over an eight-metre pit through the Parliamentary Works within the programme delivery strategy. containing a granular fill, which is used Approval committee without issue – to teach engineers how to operate earth- key to maintaining the project’s tight Key goals included maintaining base moving equipment. timeframe. security, completing works without disruption to Defence operations, Laing O’Rourke firmly believes that It was a significant project for a number completing works by mid-2015 to allow establishment of an effective and lean of reasons, it was the first managing intermodal terminal construction, and team framework comprising versatile contract for the company in the defence delivering consistent value for money for and experienced members was the sector and was the priority for Capital the Commonwealth. first step in achieving project goals. Facilities Infrastructure Branch at the Laing O’Rourke tailored its MUR team Department of Defence. The Department MUR was a significant and complex to align to specific Managing Contractor of Defence spends about AU$1 billion project, involving scores of new requirements that revolve around the per annum on capital expenditure on structures being built at Holsworthy, procurement and managing of all scope, infrastructure and Laing O’Rourke took many with special-use requirements. interfaces, safety and progress on each the opportunity, through successful These range from instructional and of the hundreds of contracts. delivery of MUR, to become a leader in training facilities for the School of the defence delivery sector. Military Engineering – such as a On MUR, the early establishment minefield clearance training area, tree of an effective team resulted in the felling zone, bridging yard, and a plant overwhelming success of the planning Precinct approach Workforce engagement Industry legacy One of the main reasons Laing O’Rourke There were a number or programmes Of the 9,000 people employed on the was originally successful in its bid to put in place to ensure the day-to-day project, 35 per cent were recruited from manage MUR for the Department of workforce, across all subcontractors and the Western suburbs within 15 Defence was its approach of splitting the all precincts felt engaged throughout the kilometres of the base. site into six precincts – allowing a faster project. Laing O’Rourke forged relationships with delivery and a closer management There were regular briefings held to local small businesses and the sheer focus. ensure everyone had access to the most scale of the influx of people to the local There were six sub-project leaders, up to date information and to ensure no area had a positive impact on the local each with their own team. This allowed silos were formed. economy. for a more manageable approach to A buddy system was implemented All of the 300 subcontractors were subcontract and supply arrangements. for new employees, where they were provided with in-depth training and All of the separate project delivery teams paired with one of their peers to ensure guidance on how to embed Laing funnelled directly back into the Laing a thorough induction to the project. O’Rourke’s industry leading safety O’Rourke management team. Young workers, such as graduates programme into their organisations. The subcontract workforce was The design of the pool, gym and mess diversified to spread work load among precinct at Holsworthy ensured a precinct competitors whilst lowering the project’s was delivered that provided soldiers non-performance risk. This delivery and other Defence personnel with a model also created a level of competitive community and cultural hub. tension across the precincts which was beneficial to the overall delivery. Co-located with easy access to public transport and linked by cycle ways and The School of Military Engineering Military engineers footpaths, Laing O’Rourke delivered a distinct precinct and a unique Defence As part of the Moorebank Units exist to ensure that community asset. Relocation, Laing O’Rourke was nothing stands in the responsible for the relocation of the Members of our Moorebank Units School of Military Engineering. This way of their forces on Relocation project team also joined included the delivery of a mix of the battlefield. forces with key delivery partners to engineering instructional and learning deliver landscaping improvements to the facilities for the Department of Defence. Seton Recreation Hall as part of Laing were provided a specialised one on one Along with lecture theatres, classrooms, O’Rourke’s commitment to leave a lasting induction session with a senior member office buildings, and accommodation legacy in the community. of the team. came some unusual training apparatus – The project team also established even for a defence project. The project also ensured 100 percent relationships with local schools, inviting of personnel coming into the project One task often falling to these troops is more than 180 local primary school completed Laing O’Rourke’s behavioural bridge-building. To train soldiers in this, students to visit the completed Australian safety training and a muscular skeletal the Department of Defence requested Army Museum of Military Engineering. awareness program. a simulated landscape. Laing O’Rourke The students came along to test out the created two concrete and rock river Laing O’Rourke also provided significant new facility before its official opening. banks with a big gap in the middle. We resources for staff development including created a landscape that will allow the training in safety and environmental engineers to practise the tasks they will procedures as part of a comprehensive be expected to undertake. induction program and safety awareness strategy. A health coach was available on Laing O’Rourke also delivered a 50m site for all employees and regular fitness swimming pool for special forces water sessions were held. training and rehabilitation for wounded soldiers – as well as for base staff in The workforce was diverse and multi- their leisure time. language signage was implemented across the project and translators were The pool is 6m deep at the deep end and made available when necessary. is equipped with underwater cameras so special forces can monitor their training. This proactive engagement approach and There are also platforms so they can the cultivation of positive relationships simulate air and water bourne scenarios. with all relevant industrial relations (IR) bodies ensured that there was no lost time on site to IR issues. Sydney T +61 2 9903 0300 T +61 3 9249 6400 Brisbane T +61 7 3223 2300 Darwin T +61 8 8943 5200 Perth T +61 8 9362 7111 laingorourke.com 39 112 099 000

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