06/02/2026

February 06, 2026

The Daily Dirt Aus

By G’day Construction………….…… 

THE MORNING PAPER FOR CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS AND TRADIES

âś’ Headlines & Industry

Maas Group will sell its building materials division for $1.7 billion as the ASX-listed construction business pivots toward the artificial intelligence infrastructure boom with a $100 million stake in AI factory start-up Firmus Technologies. Heidelberg Materials Australia has entered a $1.703 billion deal to acquire the construction materials business of Maas Group Holdings (ASX:MGH). The deal covers assets including 40 quarries with combined approved reserves of more than 350 million tonnes, 22 ready-mix concrete plants, two asphalt operations and one C&D recycling site.

Australia’s builders say surplus Defence land could help ease the housing crisis after the federal government moved to divest 67 underused Defence sites. Industry leaders urge prioritising housing on viable locations, noting many sites are unsafe or vacant and could support the government’s target of delivering 1.2 million homes.

🏗️ Projects

NSW

Sydney’s rapid housing growth has outpaced public transport, leaving suburbs like Oran Park and Austral as “transport deserts.” Researchers urge a long-term metro expansion to better connect Western Sydney, easing congestion, supporting jobs, and addressing the housing crisis, despite cost blowouts and project delays.

Sydney Airport has appointed Grimshaw and Mott MacDonald to design and engineer the T2–T3 terminal link, part of its A$6 billion capital programme. The project aims to improve passenger flow, add capacity and swing gates, and support efficient, sustainable operations as the airport targets 72 million passengers annually by 2045.

QLD

Gold Coast developer Sherpa Group has started construction on its $240 million Flourish Symphony tower in South Brisbane, following $134 million in presales. The 27-level, 138-apartment project features retail space and a two-level rooftop with pool, wellness, and communal amenities. The move signals Sherpa’s expansion across South-East Queensland.

SA

Revera Energy has secured an expanded US$150 million credit facility to accelerate construction of major renewable energy infrastructure. The funding will support delivery of large-scale battery storage projects, including a 150MW facility in South Australia, and advance new builds across Australia and the UK, strengthening grid resilience and construction pipelines.

The $200M Green Cement Transformation Project in Port Augusta will convert industrial by-products into low-carbon cement, reducing COâ‚‚ by up to 30%. Construction will create ~150 jobs, establish two manufacturing hubs, and support durable, sustainable concrete for the building sector. South Australian and federal funding totals $32M.

🧰 Construction Au Other

The NCC 2025 preview draft is out, with WA adoption from 1 May 2026. It introduces updates to safety, energy efficiency, fire protection, and usability. A 12-month transition allows compliance with BCA 2022 or 2025 until 30 April 2027, after which BCA 2025 becomes mandatory.

UHI Machinery Australia, supplying mini to mid-size excavators for construction, landscaping, and civil works, has opened a 4,300 m² warehouse in Rocklea, Queensland. The national network now includes nine sites, supporting fast delivery, aftersales service, and parts availability for machines like the popular 1.2-tonne UME12P and versatile UME18.

🚀 Innovation, Digital & Futuristic Technology

A study finds that replacing 10% of metakaolin with paper mill sludge ash significantly improves geocrete strength and durability. The industrial waste enhances microstructure, reduces water absorption, and boosts resistance to chloride penetration, offering a low-carbon, cost-effective construction material while supporting circular economy goals.

MIT researchers are 3D-printing construction-grade floor trusses using recycled plastic, offering a lightweight, modular, and sustainable alternative to wood. Tested trusses supported over 4,000 lbs, meeting U.S. building codes. The project aims to turn discarded bottles and containers into structural components, reducing timber demand and advancing circular, low-carbon construction.

Autonomous construction technology startup Bedrock Robotics Inc. announced today that it has raised $270 million in new funding as it aims to transform how general contractors build, from deploying individual autonomous machines to orchestrating fully connected fleets.

🌱 Sustainability ​& Environment

Three QUT waste management projects have secured federal funding under the Australian Economic Accelerator Ignite program. The research will turn waste into graphene for battery cooling, recycle lignin to improve sodium-ion batteries, and develop low-emission reactors to remove nutrients and PFAS, supporting cleaner, more sustainable waste and energy systems.

Green Star certification is now mainstream across Australia’s built environment, with nearly 2,000 certifications achieved in FY2024–25. Uptake continues across buildings, infrastructure and government projects, reflecting strong demand for verified sustainability, low-carbon design and long-term performance that benefits investors, occupants and communities.

Australia’s concrete industry is urging federal budget action to improve road access, protect quarries and batching plants, and support decarbonisation. CCAA is calling for better heavy vehicle access, streamlined planning, and incentives for low-carbon concrete to ensure materials supply for housing and major infrastructure projects.

🌏 Around the World

The Boring Company has partnered with Dubai RTA to build the Dubai Loop, a 22.5 km vehicle transport tunnel with 19 stations connecting key commercial hubs. The first 6.4 km pilot phase links DIFC and Dubai Mall, costing $154 million. Full completion is projected at $545 million, serving up to 30,000 passengers daily.

The Gateway Hudson Tunnel Project sued the Trump administration over a freeze on $205 million in federal funding. The $16 billion New York–New Jersey rail project, vital to Northeast Corridor transit, faces halting work and nearly 1,000 immediate job losses. Completion by 2038 includes twin new tunnels and North River rehabilitation.

China’s energy investment surpassed $500 billion in 2025, with onshore wind up 50% and green hydrogen capacity doubling. Renewables now supply over 60% of installed capacity, generating 4 trillion kWh—more than the EU. Policy support, stable coal, oil, and gas output, and orderly renewable sector growth underpin China’s accelerated energy transition.

👷‍♀️ Tradies and Resource

At least 40 students who studied a Certificate III in Carpentry through Charles Darwin University between 2022 and 2023 are being forced back to complete units, despite being signed off as qualified. CDU says the employers of the TAFE students have been contacted, and the individuals will complete their studies over two weeks on the Casuarina campus from mid-February, with costs covered by the university. Alice Springs construction company Asbuild managing director Paul Graham says the error had "potential to delay projects".

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Alex

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