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Articles

Warmth & comfort for healthy aging
The specification of heating and cooling systems in aged care and health care settings is about more than just keeping the residents and patients of these facilities comfortable. Though a universal concern, the simple notion of ‘keeping warm in winter and cool in summer’ has particular resonance in aged care and healthcare settings.
Health, healing & happiness from the floor up
Though important, safety and infection control are not the only factors to consider when specifying flooring for aged care and health care applications. When working in aged or healthcare settings, designers should always keep in mind the impacts their designs are likely to have on residents and patients who are dealing with the effects of ageing or ill-health.
Fire & smoke control in commercial applications
While fire safety remains a top priority for all involved in the construction sector, it is by no means a one-size-fits-all proposition. Here is a selection of some of the latest products and systems designed to help specifiers meet their obligations in this area. In 2024, as even the most cursory glance of the NCC would confirm, fire control is a complex business.
Style & liveability, beyond the back door
The quest, among specifiers and homeowners, to create homes that push boundaries in terms of style and liveability extends beyond the confines of the living room and kitchen to exterior spaces. There are various market forces driving change in the residential construction sector, including the ambitions of homeowners to reap the rewards of a seemingly-forever growing property market.
Breaking through the pane: Residential window design comes of age
Driven by a range of factors including regulatory changes, the sustainability drive, and concerns around bushfires, the residential window market is not what it once was. Over the last 50 years, windows were mostly made to be cheap, but now there is a push for higher performing windows and doors which enhance all the improvements made in the rest of the building envelope.
The environmental benefits of pre-fabrication & modular construction
Pre-fabrication and modular construction are often highlighted as part of the solution to the housing crisis. While this is true, they also deliver benefits in terms of sustainability. Australia is experiencing a housing crisis. Beyond the issue of affordability, we have come to a point where we simply do not have enough homes to accommodate our ever-increasing population.