12/02/2026

February 12, 2026

The Daily Dirt Aus

By G’day Construction………….…… 

THE MORNING PAPER FOR CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS AND TRADIES

🚨 Safety Updates

SunSmart urges Victorian construction and outdoor workplaces to adopt sun protection policies, highlighting UV radiation as a serious occupational hazard. Survey data shows businesses with formal policies provide protective clothing, hats, sunscreen and eyewear, reducing skin cancer risk for workers exposed to intense sunlight, while workplaces without policies lag in safety measures.

âś’ Headlines & Industry

A corruption inquiry alleges up to $15 billion—possibly $30 billion—of Victorian taxpayer funds from Melbourne’s Big Build was funnelled to organised crime via the CFMEU. The report details bikie-linked drug activity, criminal appointments and misconduct, with claims key sections on costs and government inaction were removed before release.

Global skyscraper construction remains subdued, with 141 buildings over 200m completed in 2025—well below the 2023 peak. Higher interest rates, financing constraints and post-pandemic uncertainty continue to limit commencements. China dominates activity, while mixed-use and composite towers rise. Completions are forecast to stay flat in 2026.

Australia’s construction sector faces rising costs, tighter capacity, and higher borrowing, shifting infrastructure funding from predominantly public investment toward private financing. Record activity continues, led by residential recovery and essential infrastructure, but meeting demand requires efficient delivery, modular construction, and attracting global private capital while balancing fiscal constraints and sustainability goals.

 

🏗️ Projects

ACT

The new Hume Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) will cost nearly $37 million, $11 million above earlier estimates, funded partly by Veolia under a 20-year Build-Own-Operate-Transfer model. Construction is expected to start in 2026, creating 100 jobs, with operation from 2028.

The Yarravale Woden residential precinct in Canberra (ACT) plans two new buildings—F (199 units) and G (113 units)—as stage three of a masterplan with seven buildings totaling 888 units. Construction will cost $114 million, include three-level basements with 432 parking spaces, and feature sustainability measures like rooftop solar and EV-ready parking.

 

NSW

A $194 million seniors housing redevelopment in Belrose, Northern Beaches, NSW, has been approved. The project will deliver 147 independent living units, 120 residential care beds, six buildings up to five storeys, and extensive communal and landscaped spaces. Construction is staged from late 2026, creating 238 construction and 109 ongoing jobs.

SOM and Hassell have unveiled plans for Bradfield City, a 114-hectare development beside Western Sydney International Airport. Touted as Australia’s first new city in over a century, it will feature 10,000 homes, a university, civic centres and major parklands, designed with Indigenous collaboration and strong sustainability principles.

In a move for sustainable waste management in south-western Sydney, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has granted authorisation to a consortium led by Sydney Water Corporation and three local councils to work together on developing an organic waste biorefinery. 

QLD

The project is located in Queensland, with Ipswich City Council signing a $53 million development agreement to deliver a seven-storey, 160-room Hilton Garden Inn in the city centre. Construction is scheduled to commence in late 2026, generating 150 construction jobs and boosting local building, trade and supplier activity ahead of Brisbane 2032.

WA

A development application has been lodged to transform three buildings within Perth’s fifty-year-old St Martins Centre, a prominent commercial and retail complex at 40–50 St Georges Terrace. 

The luxury apartment development looks to be finally going ahead, following its approval three and a half years ago.

 

🧰 Construction Au Other

Data centre operators in Australia are increasingly moving to regional sites and adopting off-grid solutions like gas and solar to bypass metropolitan grid constraints. Rising electricity demand, limited grid access, and long connection times are driving this shift, with regional locations offering larger land parcels, better cooling, and integrated renewable energy infrastructure.

Australia’s rail sector is invited to consult on 12 proposed safety reforms under the Rail Safety National Law. The National Transport Commission aims to improve interoperability, governance, risk management, and cost efficiency, with feedback shaping final recommendations. Submissions close 4 May 2026, supporting the National Rail Action Plan’s four-year modernization program.

🚀 Innovation, Digital & Futuristic Technology

Scientists found quartz quarry dust can replace 10% of sand in cement mortar, boosting compressive strength by 71% and reducing water absorption. The waste by-product improves particle packing and durability while cutting reliance on natural sand, offering a more sustainable, circular solution for construction materials.

Caterpillar is transforming construction with AI and autonomy, tackling inefficiency, safety risks, and labor shortages. Their approach combines autonomous machines, edge computing, and physical AI to orchestrate complex, three-dimensional worksites. AI tools—from operator-assist to cab-based coaching—optimize productivity, reduce rework, and guide electrification and fleet management. Caterpillar’s goal is not replacing humans but empowering them while making construction safer, smarter, and more sustainable.

🌱 Sustainability ​& Environment

The Vectorworks 2026 Sustainability Dashboard gives construction and design teams real-time insights into environmental performance. It tracks Embodied Carbon, Urban Greening Factor, Biomass Density, and Biodiversity Net Gain, linking directly to BIM models. Designers can optimize materials, green infrastructure, and habitat impact while ensuring compliance with standards, reducing costly late-stage revisions, and delivering more sustainable, resilient projects.

Thanks for reading,

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Alex

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