Sydney Build 2023 Highlights
Did you get to this year’s Sydney Build 2023? We did! Billed as the ‘must-attend’ construction event with expert speakers, presentations, workshops, and networking, it is Australia’s largest construction, architecture, and infrastructure show, attracting key players in the industry including contractors, architects, engineers, builders, developers, Government, and construction professionals from across the country.
If you missed it, here are some of our top takeaways plus overviews of the presentations we attended and some of the trends, insights, and news affecting our customers and sectors:
Key Themes at Sydney Build 2023: Net Zero by 2050
Innovation, regulation, challenging stereotypes, skills shortages, sustainability, and energy efficiency, and how it all fits into the future of Australian architecture and construction – Sydney Build 2023 covered a whole host of hot industry topics.
With the launch of the Green Building Council of Australia’s new Carbon Positive Roadmap, the word of the event was certainly ‘net zero’ and how to achieve it, particularly through sustainable construction material choices such as using more recycled steel. Which, according to the New Buildings Institute, can have the greatest impact.
The good news is that in the metal perforation industry, using sustainable materials is already commonplace and growing. The most popular metal we perforate for construction and architecture projects is aluminium, which is sustainable and fully recyclable multiple times. We are also an environmentally-conscious manufacturer – learn more about our Environmental Policy and green standards here.
Sydney Build 2023 Presentation Highlights
We attended a range of key talks and presentations across the Expo’s nine stages, visiting the Architecture and Design Stage, the Climate Resilience & Safety Stage, and the Future of Construction Stage.
Architecture & Design Stage Highlights
Social & Cultural Inclusion: Designing with Empathy
How can we ensure that a space is for everyone when we each use and experience it differently? This was a key discussion all about inclusive design, and the importance of cultural empathy, especially for community projects. Speakers included Gensler, PTW Architects, 3Xn, and Carter Williamson.
Key takeaways:
- Why cultural differences matter: What is considered a “good standard” in an architect’s own culture can be very different for people with a different background
- Why spaces need to be multisensorial: We need to think beyond function for inclusive design. We also need to think about how a space makes users feel. Such as texture, light, colour, materials – all these aspects can be turned into an experience serving those who use the space
- How to gain more awareness about empathy in practice and easy tools to use: Such as inclusive design workshops that challenge employees to think outside of their own expectations.
Climate Resilience & Safety Stage Highlights
Practical Changes Towards a Decarbonised Built Environment
How is the concrete sector tackling decarbonisation – and what does the future look like, particularly concerning Standards?
The Concrete Institute of Australia, Standards Australia, Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia, and the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) came together to discuss how the most used construction material in the world is addressing an ‘impossible task’.
Key highlights:
- Concrete is the second most consumed material in the world after water
- Pathways are being developed for a 2050 net zero concrete industry in Australia, with lots of research and testing underway driven towards sustainable outcomes
- The interest and attention towards sustainable concrete in design and construction has dramatically increased over the last 12 years
- The whole supply chain needs to collaborate and work together with a uniform and consistent approach, as seen overseas in the USA and UK
- New concrete materials, initiatives, and new methods of construction are starting to come out – the challenge is how these fit into the world of Standards
- There is strong focus on methods of clinker and cement production to keep embodied carbon down and how we can measure and influence the reabsorption of CO2 (recarbonation)
Future of Construction Stage Highlights
Modernising Construction – Modular Methods Matter
Why prefab is a key modern construction method – and how architects and designers can utilise its innovations to improve the build process. Speakers included Brydon Wood, Julia Thomas Architects, VIRIDI GROUP, and the Sustainable Buildings Research Centre University of Wollongong, led by PrefabAUS.
Key highlights:
- The modular approach is a promising solution to construction waste and a viable alternative to conventional methods
- It allows for better waste management – constructing in a controlled environment and reusing where possible, fewer costs, and delays on-site
- Engaging with the modular industry at an early stage in the design process is critical for the successful use of an off-site design-build process
- ‘Design for manufacture’ (DFM) and collaborating with manufacturers is an essential component
- Whilst embodied carbon should be considered in the building design process, the market still needs to be educated
Sydney Build 2023 moments – click on photos to enlarge
Sydney Build – what’s ahead for 2024
Sydney Build Expo will return to the ICC from 1-2 May 2024. In the meantime, explore your sustainable perforated metal options for net zero goal projects with our expert team on
(02) 9748 2200. Or send us an email enquiry to sales@arrowmetal.com.au
We manufacture and supply perforated metal to architects, specifiers, designers, and engineers for projects across Australia, from transport hubs, schools, and commercial offices to residential developments, retail stores, and shopping centres.
Browse our latest Projects to see how our perforated metal supports project success and download our brochure to browse patterns, metals, and custom bespoke architectural solutions.
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